Night Takeoff Accident on Turf Runway (N9419C)

Incident Overview and Pilot Report A private pilot with 175 hours of flight experience reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) that he taxied to runway 17 and completed a run-up. The pilot stated that everything checked okay before proceeding with the takeoff. During the night takeoff run on the 2,450-foot long, 55-foot wide turf runway, the landing light blinked off. Despite the light failure, the pilot continued the takeoff run and rotated at 60 knots. The pilot expressed concern about trees at the end of the runway and stated he was trying to get all the lift he could. The pilot reported not hearing the stall alarm but thought he might have stalled the airplane. The single-engine aircraft was carrying three passengers and was over its gross weight limit by approximately 135 pounds. ## Performance and Weather Conditions The airplane's takeoff performance chart indicated that to clear a 50-foot obstacle, the takeoff distance would be about 2,300 feet on a dry, paved runway at gross weight. The NTSB Investigator-In-Charge calculated the density altitude to be 3,038 feet. At 2049, the automated weather observing system at the nearest airport with recorded weather, located approximately 15 miles north of the accident site, reported wind from 180 degrees at 6 knots, 10 miles visibility, a clear sky, a temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, a dew point of 66 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.83 inches of Mercury.