Accident Sequence
On August 26, 2022, at about 1227 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152 (N49430) was substantially damaged when it struck a fence and a tree during an aborted takeoff from a private airstrip near Ione, California. The flight instructor and passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional discovery flight.
The instructor reported being asked to perform a discovery flight to a private airstrip near the passenger's home. Upon arrival, the passenger asked if they could land. The instructor agreed and chose to land to the west, as the wind appeared calm. After landing, he turned the airplane around for a departure to the east. He held the toe brakes and advanced the throttle to full power for a short-field takeoff. At the start of the takeoff roll, he observed between 2,300 and 2,400 rpm on the tachometer.
About halfway down the runway, the instructor noticed that both the analog airspeed indicator needle and the Garmin electronic flight instrument displayed 0 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). He had observed a lagging airspeed indication before midfield but dismissed it. He decided to abort the takeoff, but when he reduced power, the airspeed indicator needle suddenly advanced to about 45 KIAS. At that time, the airplane was about three-quarters of the way down the runway. The instructor saw a fence beyond the runway end rapidly approaching. The airplane collided with the fence, then the left wing impacted a tree, causing the airplane to spin and come to rest.
The instructor stated he had not expected to perform a takeoff from this particular dirt airstrip and had not calculated the airplane's takeoff and landing performance.
Witness and Weather
A witness and nearby resident reported that the temperature was about 95°F with light wind from the west at the time of the accident. The witness stated that the airplane never left the ground and that the engine sounded smooth and continuous throughout the takeoff attempt. The fence that the airplane struck was adjacent to the departure end of the east-facing runway.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that could have precluded normal operation. The analog airspeed indicator and Garmin electronic flight instrument were tested and functioned as designed. Examination of the pitot/static system found no blockages. The engine's static range was between 2,280 and 2,380 rpm, with a maximum rpm of 2,550.
Performance Calculations
Using performance charts from the pilot's operating handbook (POH), the airplane's ground run and takeoff distance were computed for conditions including flaps 10°, full throttle prior to brake release, paved, level, dry runway, and zero wind. The chart stated to increase distance by 10% for every 2 knots of tailwind. With a temperature of 35°C and about 500 ft pressure altitude, the airplane required a ground run of about 972 ft and a takeoff distance of about 1,791 ft to clear a 50-ft obstacle. The runway was about 1,300 ft long.
The airplane's landing distance was also computed using POH charts for flaps 30°, power off, maximum braking, paved, level, dry runway, and zero wind. The chart stated to increase landing distance by 10% for every 2 knots of tailwind. The results indicated a ground roll of about 569 ft was required to stop. The airplane had approximately 325 ft of remaining runway when the pilot aborted the takeoff.