Accident Sequence
The pilot initiated a takeoff run. As the aircraft accelerated, the airspeed indication rose to approximately 80 miles per hour and then stopped increasing. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff. Despite braking, the aircraft could not be stopped before it departed the end of the runway, crossed over a berm, and came to rest in a drainage ravine.
Investigation Findings
When the wreckage was recovered, investigators found that both pitot covers were still in place over the pitot tubes. Tire skid marks were observed starting at approximately 3,600 feet from the approach end of the runway and continued to the wreckage location. Notably, another aircraft had been destroyed approximately one year earlier after it also entered the same ravine, which was located about 200 feet from the runway end.
Runway and Performance Data
The runway length was 4,553 feet. The calculated takeoff distance for the intended flight was about 2,525 feet, and the calculated accelerate-stop distance was approximately 2,950 feet. The skid marks began at around 3,600 feet, indicating that braking action started well beyond the accelerate-stop distance.
Probable Cause
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight, which resulted in an attempted takeoff with the pitot covers installed. An additional cause was the pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff. Factors contributing to the accident included the misleading airspeed indications and the proximity of the drainage ravine to the end of the runway.