Shannon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fredericksburg, Virginia 22404
Tuesady, May 24, 1994 13:00 EDT

THE PILOT WAS PLANNING TO DEPART THE AIRPORT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE HARD SURFACE RUNWAY AT THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE, AND THE 1,500 FOOT GRASS RUNWAY WAS THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE PILOT LINED UP ON THE GRASS RUNWAY, APPLIED POWER AND BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL FOR A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE HOLDING BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY NORMALLY. HE THEN ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO ACCELERATE TO 59 KNOTS, WHERE HE THEN ROTATED THE NOSE UP FOR CLIMB OUT. THE PILOT STATED AT THAT POINT THE AIRPLANE SEEMED TO SETTLE BACK TO THE RUNWAY WHERE HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BANK. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELED BY THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 500 FEET, FROM INITIAL POWER TO DEPARTURE OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK CALLED FOR A TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL OF ABOUT 1100 FEET. THE PILOT HAD FOUR TENTHS OF AN HOUR FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE LAST 90 DAYS.

The pilot's premature lift-off, resulting in an inadvertent stall/mush back onto the runway, and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the aborted takeoff, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway and colliding with a dirt bank. A factor in this accident was the pilot's lack of recent flying experience.