Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

The pilot said he took off on the 4,100' asphalt runway. During the takeoff roll, he said everything looked normal. He accelerated to 80 knots and rotated to a normal takeoff attitude. He said the airplane was slow to lift off, but did get into the air with approximately half the runway remaining. Immediately after breaking ground, the stall warning horn came on. The airplane was approximately 3-5 feet in the air when it rolled to the left. The left wing tip struck the ground. The airplane then rolled in the opposite direction striking the runway with the right main landing gear. The airplane then went off the left side of the runway, struck a dirt embankment, got airborne again, and then impacted the terrain in a nose down attitude. An examination of the airplane showed damage to the trailing corner of the left wing tip, and trailing edge of the left flap. The airplane's nose gear was broken aft. The nose gear doors were bent upward and aft. Keel damage was observed in the nose wheel well between the nose gear pivots and drag brace. Forward fuselage skin in front of, and on both sides of the nose wheel was crushed upward. The three propeller blades showed torsional bending. All three blade tips were bent aft. The pilot reported doing a full engine run-up prior to the takeoff attempt. According to the pilot, all of the airplane's systems were working properly.

The weather conditions at the time of the accident were clear skies, 7 miles visibility, winds 200 degrees at 5 knots, temperature 98 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 34 degrees F, and an altimeter of 30.14 inches. The density altitude was calculated at 8,254 feet. Using an aircraft performance chart for "Take-off Distance - Flaps 0-degrees" provided by the pilot and entering raw weather data for the time of the accident, the chart shows a takeoff distance of approximately 1,950 feet. The chart is based on take-off power set before brake release, landing gear retracted when positive rate of climb is established, and a paved, level, dry runway surface.

**This narrative was modified on July 10, 2007.** The pilot's improper in-flight decision, and his failure to maintain proper aircraft control during takeoff resulting in an inadvertent stall and the subsequent impact with the runway and terrain.