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A very low time pilot, flying an ercoupe at a private strip near atl, GA, attempted to make a soft field takeoff. He aborted when he realized he could not clear the trees at the end of the runway, but could not stop in time.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 471910 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200005 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : atl.comrdo |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 970 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Aircoupe A2 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 193 flight time type : 17 |
| ASRS Report | 471910 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : rejected takeoff |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Upon landing aircraft without incident at unfamiliar private airstrip, attempted to take off with 1 passenger. Had just flown for 8 hours to get to strip and felt somewhat fatigued, but still alert. Plane was lightly loaded with only a pair of headsets between us and the tow bar. Also, was light on fuel (approximately 8 gallons total). Feeling air strip (grass, 2300 ft long) was conducive to a safe departure, I conducted a short field takeoff technique, holding brakes, full power, brake release, then attempted to get plane light on its gear to fly out in ground effect. Approximately 1/2 way down strip, I realized there wasn't room to lift off and clear tress, so aborted takeoff. Subsequent rollout preceded impact with trees at runway's end, despite heavy braking.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A VERY LOW TIME PLT, FLYING AN ERCOUPE AT A PVT STRIP NEAR ATL, GA, ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A SOFT FIELD TKOF. HE ABORTED WHEN HE REALIZED HE COULD NOT CLR THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RWY, BUT COULD NOT STOP IN TIME.
Narrative: UPON LNDG ACFT WITHOUT INCIDENT AT UNFAMILIAR PVT AIRSTRIP, ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF WITH 1 PAX. HAD JUST FLOWN FOR 8 HRS TO GET TO STRIP AND FELT SOMEWHAT FATIGUED, BUT STILL ALERT. PLANE WAS LIGHTLY LOADED WITH ONLY A PAIR OF HEADSETS BTWN US AND THE TOW BAR. ALSO, WAS LIGHT ON FUEL (APPROX 8 GALLONS TOTAL). FEELING AIR STRIP (GRASS, 2300 FT LONG) WAS CONDUCIVE TO A SAFE DEP, I CONDUCTED A SHORT FIELD TKOF TECHNIQUE, HOLDING BRAKES, FULL PWR, BRAKE RELEASE, THEN ATTEMPTED TO GET PLANE LIGHT ON ITS GEAR TO FLY OUT IN GND EFFECT. APPROX 1/2 WAY DOWN STRIP, I REALIZED THERE WASN'T ROOM TO LIFT OFF AND CLR TRESS, SO ABORTED TKOF. SUBSEQUENT ROLLOUT PRECEDED IMPACT WITH TREES AT RWY'S END, DESPITE HVY BRAKING.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.