History of the Flight
On 6 December 2008, a Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer II (registration G-BPYO) was attempting a takeoff from Runway 25 at Crosland Moor, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The runway consisted of 550 m of asphalt followed by 250 m of grass, with the asphalt section having a 2.6% upslope over its first three-quarters. Pre-takeoff checks were completed satisfactorily. During the backtrack to the threshold, the pilot applied carburettor heat as a precaution against icing, given the damp grass indicating high humidity. The aircraft's weight and CG were within limits.
The takeoff roll was toward the setting sun, which the pilot found significantly distracting, making it difficult to see inside the cockpit after looking out. The right-seat passenger, a qualified private pilot, assisted by calling out the airspeed. By the time the aircraft reached the end of the asphalt section, it had attained only 50 kt. The pilot elected to abandon the takeoff but could not stop the aircraft within the remaining runway. The aircraft overran the end and sustained substantial damage to the propeller, cowlings, wings, and landing gear (detached). The three occupants evacuated without assistance. The pilot later discovered that he had left the carburettor heat control in the ON position.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a 1989 Piper PA-28-181 powered by a single Lycoming O-360-A4M engine. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence, was 65 years old, and had 527 hours total flying experience, with 420 hours on type. His recent flying included 11 hours in the last 90 days and 0.5 hours in the last 28 days. The flight was private, with one crew and two passengers. Injuries consisted of minor injuries to one passenger; the pilot and other passenger were uninjured.
Contributing Factors
The pilot candidly noted that his previous 10 hours of flying had been in an aircraft not equipped with carburettor heat, which may have contributed to his oversight of leaving the control ON. He also acknowledged that a hurried departure due to the late hour and the distraction of the low sun were contributory factors. The AAIB report listed the contributory factors as: the carburettor heat control inadvertently being left in the ON position, a hurried departure due to the late hour, and the takeoff being performed towards a low sun, which presented a significant distraction. Following the incident, the pilot was debriefed by his club's Chief Flying Instructor on takeoff performance, establishing an abort point, the effect of carburettor heat on engine power, the time of day, and the dangers of performing additional adjustments after all regular checks have been completed. He subsequently completed a successful check flight covering these points.