No fatalities

22 Sep 2010: CONSOLIDATED AERONAUTICS INC. LAKE LA-4-200 — New Castle, VA

New Castle, VA, United States

On 22 Sep 2010, a CONSOLIDATED AERONAUTICS INC. LAKE LA-4-200 was involved in an aviation accident near New Castle, VA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff from a 2,400-foot turf runway, the aircraft became airborne then settled back. The pilot aborted, but unable to stop before a berm, added power, cleared it, then struck a tree and boulders, ending in a pond.

Takeoff and Abort Sequence

According to the pilot, all engine and flight indications were in the "normal range" during the takeoff roll on a 2,400-foot turf runway. The aircraft was accelerating normally into a headwind of 6 to 8 knots. Approximately halfway down the runway, the aircraft attained "2/3 flying speed." Between that point and the end of the runway, the aircraft became airborne but then settled back onto the runway surface.

At that point, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. He reduced power and applied braking. However, he realized that the aircraft would not be able to stop before impacting a berm located at the end of the runway. The pilot then added full power, and the aircraft cleared the berm.

Impact and Final Resting Place

After clearing the berm, the aircraft crossed a dirt road, then impacted a tree and some boulders. It came to rest in a pond. The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunctions were detected during the event.

Environmental Conditions

The pilot reported that it had rained earlier in the day and that the runway might have still been damp. No other environmental factors were noted in the pilot's account.

Summary

The event involved an aborted takeoff on a turf runway, followed by an unsuccessful stop, resulting in the aircraft striking obstacles and coming to rest in a pond. The pilot cited normal indications and no mechanical issues, and mentioned possible damp runway conditions from earlier rain.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationAirspeed — Not attained/maintained