Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and his failure to use all the available runway. A factor was the dark night.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The airplane was being operated as a personal night cross-country flight. The pilot taxied from the ramp located near the helipad to runway 20 via the taxiway that crosses near the midpoint of the runway. Instead of turning right onto runway 20 and back taxiing to the end of the runway, he turned left and attempted to takeoff using approximatly 1,300 feet of the 4,050-foot runway. After realizing he was running out of runway, the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane came to rest approximately 150 feet beyond the runway in a ditch.
Source record
Factual narrative
On September 8, 1995, at 2300 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N4918G, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff at Kerrville Municipal/Louis Schreiner Field, Kerrville, Texas. The commercial pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was being operated as a personal night cross country flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in San Antonio, Texas at 2200. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported in a written statement that, after taxiing to runway 20, he did a runup, then "taxied onto the runway and gave full throttle." After realizing he was "running out of runway," he aborted the takeoff. He further reported that, after the incident, "I noticed that I had taxied onto the short runway." The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he taxied from the ramp, which is located near the helipad, to runway 20 via the taxiway that crosses near the midpoint of the runway. He further reported that, instead of turning right onto runway 20 and back taxiing to the end of the runway, he turned left and attempted to takeoff using approximately "1,300 feet" of runway. Examination of the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed evidence of braking where the airplane crossed runway 12/30. See airport diagram. The airplane came to rest in a ditch approximately 150 feet beyond the runway. The left wing was buckled near the fuel tank and the engine was displaced to the right. -