Accident Overview
A twin-engine turboprop airplane overran the runway during an aborted takeoff, subsequently impacting two fences and an occupied automobile. The airline transport pilot had initiated a rolling takeoff and was focused on balancing engine power and maintaining runway centerline alignment. As the airplane accelerated, the pilot set power above 80 percent and began an instrument scan, at which point he noted the airspeed indicator was reading zero with the needle resting on the peg.
Pilot Actions
After a momentary hesitation, the pilot attempted to abort the takeoff by reducing the power levers to flight idle and then moving them over the gate to ground fine. He later reported to the FAA that he did not place the power controls into the reverse position. Air traffic controllers observed the airplane with its nose wheel off the ground approximately three-quarters of the way down the 4,602-foot-long runway.
Aircraft Examination
Post-accident examination of the aircraft's left and right pitot/static systems revealed no anomalies. The brakes were found to be fully functional. A review of the aircraft's performance charts indicated that for the weight and ambient conditions at the time of takeoff, the required accelerate-stop distance was 4,100 feet, while the available runway length was 4,602 feet.
Pilot Background
The pilot had received verbal training on rejected/aborted takeoffs for the accident airplane. He obtained his type rating and 14 CFR 135 check-out in the accident airplane approximately one month prior to the accident. The pilot had accumulated a total of 10,867.5 hours of flight time, of which 34.7 hours were in the accident aircraft make and model. He reported 20 hours of pilot-in-command time in that make and model, all within the preceding 30 days.
No Mechanical Explanation Found
Examination of the airplane, flight instruments, and pitot/static system found no explanation for the pilot-reported lack of airspeed reading.