Overview
The airplane was engaged in a personal cross-country flight conducted at night. The pilot taxied from the ramp area adjacent to the helipad toward runway 20. The taxi path involved a taxiway that crosses the runway near its midpoint. The runway at this airport measures 4,050 feet in length.
Takeoff Attempt
Instead of following standard procedure by turning right onto runway 20 and back taxiing to the runway threshold, the pilot turned left onto the runway and initiated a takeoff roll. The takeoff was attempted using approximately 1,300 feet of the available runway, which represents roughly one-third of the total length.
Abort and Outcome
Recognizing that the remaining runway was insufficient, the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane continued beyond the runway surface and came to rest in a ditch approximately 150 feet past the runway end.