VERO BEACH, FL, USA
N888CD
PIPER PA-46
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS HOLDING TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 22 WHILE WAITING FOR WEATHER TO CLEAR WEST OF THE AIRPORT. HE NOTICED THERE WAS GOOD WEATHER TO THE EAST AND ELECTED TO TAKEOFF WITH A TAILWIND ON RUNWAY 11, THE SHORTEST RUNWAY. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT BUILDING FAST ENOUGH, SO HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY, WHICH WAS WET. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED INTO WET SAND OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. NO PRE-ACCIDENT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE WAS EVIDENT.
On July 22, 1993, at about 1845 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46, N888CD, registered to Sutton Holdings, Inc., operating on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, aborted the take off from runway 11L, ran off the end of the runway sustaining substantial damage. The private pilot was not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Vero Beach Municipal Airport about 1 minute before the accident. The pilot stated in an interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge that a thunderstorm was in the vicinity of the airport when he received clearance to taxi to runway 22. The pilot stated while waiting in the run up area he observed the weather conditions, and requested to taxi to runway 11L, after watching traffic depart from runway 11R. The pilot began his takeoff roll on runway 11L and realized that their was insufficient runway and airspeed to complete the takeoff due to a tail wind condition. The pilot aborted the takeoff resulting in a subsequent overrun of the runway. In addition the pilot stated, "there was nothing wrong with the airplane. I simply attempted a take off from a 3504' runway with a tail wind, and could not reach rotation speed before I ran out of runway, so I aborted the take off which I should have never started in the first place."
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TAILWIND, WET RUNWAY, AND SOFT TERRAIN BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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