Incident Overview
A twin-tubofan airplane departed the runway during an aborted takeoff, striking two fences before coming to a stop. The pilot reported no anomalies during the preflight inspection or taxi to the runway.
Takeoff and Abort
During the takeoff roll, upon reaching V1 (103 knots), the pilot began applying aft pressure to the control yoke. Noticing that the nose landing gear remained on the runway, the pilot continued to raise the nose but at 120 knots, with the yoke fully aft, elected to abort the takeoff. Power was reduced to idle and maximum braking was applied. Seeing the localizer antennas approaching at the departure end of the runway, the pilot steered the airplane to the right of the centerline. The airplane departed the paved surface and struck two fences.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the runway revealed tire skid marks 1,765 feet in length leading to the airplane's final position. The brake system was inspected and no pre-existing anomalies that would have affected braking capability were found. Inspection of the elevator trim system showed it was 12 degrees out of trim in the nose-down direction.
Maintenance and Inspection History
The airplane had undergone a Phase B and Phase 1 through 5 inspections approximately five months prior to the accident. According to the manufacturer's inspection manual, the elevator system is to be examined during every Phase 5 inspection. The aircraft flight manual notes that the pilot should inspect the right elevator and trim tab during the exterior walk-around to confirm the elevator trim tab position matches its indicator.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was determined to be the anomalous elevator trim system and the pilot's failure to note its improper setting prior to takeoff.