What happened
The pilot was conducting a takeoff roll on a 3200-foot runway when the incident occurred. The aircraft had reached approximately half the length of the runway and was near lift-off speed. At this critical moment, an eleven-year-old passenger seated in the second row on the right side opened the emergency exit window without the pilot's knowledge.
The sudden opening created a loud pop and a rush of air that the pilot heard immediately. Initially, the pilot suspected either a door had opened or a tire had blown out. In response to these perceived emergencies, he decided to abort the takeoff. However, due to the wet conditions of the runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop before reaching the end of the pavement. It continued past the runway threshold and came to rest in a ditch adjacent to the airfield.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the overrun. Key findings included the premature opening of the emergency window by a young passenger during the high-energy phase of flight. The wet runway surface significantly reduced braking effectiveness, preventing the aircraft from stopping within the available distance after the aborted takeoff was initiated.
Findings
Contributing factors to this accident include the pilot's decision to abort the takeoff at a speed where stopping on the wet surface was no longer possible. Additionally, the lack of supervision for a young passenger near emergency controls played a role in the initial disruption.