Accident Overview
On August 31, 2019, at about 1105 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 510 twin-engine jet, registration N551WH, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff near El Monte, California. The airline transport pilot and a passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that while holding short of the runway awaiting takeoff clearance, he set the parking brake. After receiving clearance, he reached down to the parking brake handle and "quickly pushed the parking brakes back in." During the takeoff roll, the pilot noticed the airplane was not accelerating beyond about 70 knots and decided to abort the takeoff. The airplane subsequently veered to the left, exited the runway, impacted a perimeter fence, and came to rest upright approximately 800 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated that he must not have pushed the parking brake handle all the way in and that he never visually verified its position before takeoff. He also reported that there were no mechanical issues with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the accident site and the airplane. The airplane came to rest upright against the airport perimeter fence. Both wings and the fuselage sustained structural damage. The inspector observed the parking brake handle partially extended; when pulled, it moved about half an inch.