On January 3, 1991, a Cessna 140 (registration N77179) operated by Rudolph Spadoni was involved in an aviation accident near Port Orchard, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to discontinue the takeoff at an unsafe altitude, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent runway overrun. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Cessna 140 pilot aborted takeoff due to low altitude, bounced on the grass runway, overran the end, and crashed into a highway embankment.
What happened
The aircraft was observed flying at an unusually low altitude while proceeding along a grass airstrip. Recognizing the situation, the pilot decided to discontinue the takeoff roll. The aircraft touched down on the runway surface but bounced upon impact. Following the bounce, the aircraft failed to stop within the available pavement and overran the end of the runway.
After leaving the runway environment, the aircraft dropped off the edge of the airstrip onto a highway that ran perpendicular to the runway centerline. The aircraft then continued its trajectory until it impacted with the embankment on the far side of the highway.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to discontinue the takeoff at an unsafe altitude, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent runway overrun.