King Air pilot reported while attempting to depart a non-towered airport observing an aircraft flying opposite direction to their runway. The pilot took evasive action by exiting the runway.

Date: 2026-01 · Aircraft: Super King Air 200 · Phase: takeoff

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

King Air pilot reported while attempting to depart a non-towered airport observing an aircraft flying opposite direction to their runway. The pilot took evasive action by exiting the runway.

Narrative

I was operating a King Air 200 out of ZZZ preparing for a VFR departure to pick up an airborne IFR flight plan to our home airport. Before the taxi out I had listened to the ATIS broadcast which had winds from the North favoring runway XX. I confirmed that all other traffic was landing North as I taxied out. Upon reaching runway XX I stopped at the hold short line and completed a run up and before takeoff checklist; during which time I noted traffic calls from only traffic in the pattern for runway XY. Upon completing my checklist and departure briefing I looked left and right to ensure the runway was clear of traffic and upon seeing it was clear I made a call to take runway XX. I crossed the hold short line and set up on centerline with runway XX. I advanced the throttles to get the props on the governors at which time my co-pilot noted an aircraft in front of us approximately 3 miles away. I aborted the takeoff and retarded the throttles immediately. My co-pilot then got on the radio and repeated the radio call in regards to us occupying runway XX at which point the C-130 made a radio transmission they were going to perform a touch and go on runway XZ. During this time my aircraft still occupied the runway and after asking the C-130 of their intentions with no response at any point we elected to exit the runway via a 180 degree turn to a taxiway. We proceeded to hold short of the runway while the C-130 performed a touch and go against the flow of traffic and never made another radio transmission until they were 8 miles away exiting the airspace. This report has been made as I feel the actions of the C-130 were hazardous and without due regard for other aircraft operating in the vicinity of ZZZ.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.