Accident Overview
During a pre-departure loading, the pilot observed the airport manager installing sprinkler heads along the entire length of the grass runway. The pilot requested that the sprinklers not be activated until after departure, but they were turned on before the takeoff roll began. To avoid the sprinklers, the pilot kept the airplane on the right half of the runway.
Takeoff Attempt and Abort
As the airplane approached midfield during the takeoff roll, the pilot determined it was not accelerating sufficiently to continue the takeoff. The pilot aborted the takeoff by pulling back the throttle and applying the brakes. During the aborted takeoff, the airplane began skidding on the wet grass, prompting the pilot to shut off the engine.
Post-Abort Sequence
After the engine was shut down, the airplane continued to skid and exited the departure end of the runway. It subsequently struck a sign and a boulder, causing substantial damage to both the right and left wings.
Pilot Report and Conditions
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident. According to the Northwest U.S. Airport/Facility Directory, runway 35, a grass runway, is 3,400 feet long and 150 feet wide. At the time of the accident, the grass was wet from the sprinklers. The aircraft's calculated takeoff ground roll was approximately 2,000 feet under standard conditions (dry, paved, level runway with two notches of flaps). However, the actual takeoff was performed on a wet, grass, down-slope airstrip with only one notch of flaps. The Pilot Operating Handbook notes that pilots must account for uncalculated conditions such as soft or grass runway surfaces when evaluating takeoff and landing performance.