What happened
On February 19, 2015, a Cessna 172, registration F-GDIY, was preparing for a navigation flight from Brioude Beaumont aerodrome to Saint-Etienne Bouthéon. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and three passengers. During the takeoff roll on an unpaved runway, the aircraft reached a speed of 45 knots. At this point, the pilot determined there was insufficient remaining runway distance to complete the takeoff and decided to abort the maneuver.
While attempting to stop, the pilot applied the brakes but was unable to maintain the aircraft's direction. The plane veered to the left, exited the runway, and came to a stop in a treeline. The aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and found the throttle was set to full power and the flaps were at 0°. While the pilot believed the flaps had been set to 10°, the physical evidence confirmed they were retracted. The aircraft's weight and balance were within manufacturer limits, though the aircraft was operating near its maximum takeoff weight.
The pilot, who held a PPL(A) with 112 total flight hours, stated that during the decision to abort, he focused on braking and forgot to reduce the engine power. Meteorological conditions at the time were reported as CAVOK with calm winds.
Findings
- The pilot failed to follow the complete procedure for an aborted takeoff, specifically neglecting to reduce power.
- The pilot's focus on braking led to a loss of directional control.
- The aircraft was operating at a high takeoff mass, which affects performance requirements.