What happened
On 15 February 2009, a CZAW SportCruiser, registration G-OCRZ, was performing a private flight near Firs Farm, located northwest of Newbury. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft failed to gain sufficient speed and eventually came to a halt on the runway.
In response to the lack of acceleration, the pilot elected to abandon the takeoff. However, due to the wind direction and the downward slope of the runway, the aircraft was unable to stop before reaching the end of the paved surface. The aircraft subsequently veered off the runway and onto open ground to the right. During this excursion, the left wing leading edge sustained a dent and a propeller blade tip struck a wooden post. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, and the aircraft sustained only minor damage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's actions during the aborted takeoff. It was established that the pilot's decision to terminate the takeoff was based on his belief that the aircraft would not accelerate properly due to the runway gradient and wind conditions. The investigation also looked into the sequence of mechanical and manual inputs, specifically the timing of throttle reduction and braking.
Findings
- The aircraft failed to accelerate during the initial takeoff roll.
- The pilot's decision to abort the takeoff was influenced by the perceived difficulty in achieving rotation given the wind and runway slope.
- The pilot's delay in closing the throttle and applying the brakes resulted in the aircraft being unable to stop within the remaining runway length.