Event Summary
On 20 September 2024, a Cessna 172S, registration LN-KAB, operated by Hallingdal Flyklubb, was involved in an accident during a rejected takeoff at Gol flyplass Klanten (ENKL). The flight was a private local flight with one pilot and one passenger. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot was uninjured.
Sequence of Events
The pilot had completed a previous flight of about 1 hour and 25 minutes that included five landings. After landing and shutting down, the pilot took a passenger on board for a local flight around 1900 local time. The pilot provided safety information to the passenger and completed the before-takeoff checklist. The takeoff from runway 29 began around 1912 from the start of the asphalt portion of the runway, which is 600 meters long with grass extensions totaling 1,000 meters.
The pilot reported that the aircraft accelerated more poorly than normal. After passing the halfway point, increasing vibrations developed, and acceleration remained insufficient. The pilot initially considered lifting off before the end of the asphalt but decided to abort the takeoff and reduced power. Both occupants felt the aircraft became airborne briefly before the pilot pushed the nose down. The vibrations ceased once airborne. The aircraft touched down approximately 170 meters past the asphalt end, and the pilot applied brakes. Skid marks indicated heavy braking near the western end of the runway. The aircraft continued past the runway end into low shrub and pine trees in boggy terrain, made a slight right turn, came to a stop, nosed over, and came to rest inverted about 20 meters from the runway end.
The passenger had difficulty releasing the seatbelt and door and was helped out by the pilot. The passenger activated the emergency locator transmitter. The pilot turned off the ignition and fuel. The passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot contacted a club member who assisted with notification.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Cessna 172S manufactured in 2006, equipped with a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine. The pilot held a Light Aircraft Pilot License (LAPL) with a total flight time of 850 hours, including 250 hours on powered aircraft. In the last 12 months, the pilot flew 7 hours and 15 minutes, and in the last 30 days, 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Technical Findings
The engine was examined and a leak check showed cylinder number three had slightly higher leakage than others, but subsequent inspection revealed no defects. Exhaust valves were checked per Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 388 C, with no evidence of sticking valves at the time of departure. Magneto and spark plugs were checked and no significant faults were found.
Investigations of the landing gear focused on potential causes of vibration. The nose gear shimmy damper was tested and functioned normally. The right main landing gear was torn off during the accident. Examination revealed that the right tire struck an object on the ground with sufficient force to rotate the gear and shear the attach bolt and axle. Metallurgical analysis showed overload fractures without pre-existing fatigue. A small pine tree was found broken at ground level in the track of the right main gear, having been dragged in the direction of travel.
The aircraft's weight and balance were calculated to be within limits. The estimated runway distance required for takeoff was conservatively 400 meters.
Other Information
The investigation noted that Hallingdal Flyklubb had an outdated and little-used club handbook. There is no requirement for a club handbook or check-out, but it is common practice, especially in larger clubs. The aircraft was equipped with a Garmin G1000 electronic flight instrument system. The system had an SD card slot for logging engine parameters, but no card was installed, so no engine data was recorded for analysis.