BFO95LA054

During takeoff from a wet, grass-covered, 1,800 foot-long, private airstrip, the airplane lifted off then settled back onto the grass strip. The piloted aborted the takeoff about 1,000 feet down the airstrip. The pilot intentionally angled the airplane off the airstrip into tall grass to help stop the airplane. The airplane rolled down an embankment and its nose gear collapsed. The pilot stated he thought the engine didn't seem to be developing full power. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomaly.

On June 1, 1995, at 1730 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N3065E, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff from a private airstrip in Head Waters, Virginia. The commercial pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and the intended destination was Manassas, Virginia.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration Safety Inspector, the pilot and passengers departed Manassas to view some property for sale at Head Water. The pilot stated that he landed the airplane on a field which had been a private airstrip years ago. A witness on the ground stated that at the time N3065E landed, the grass was about 12 inches high. The witness stated at the pilot's request he mowed a portion of the field prior to the attempted takeoff.

The pilot reported on his Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report form, "Performed a soft/short field take off procedure using 10 [degrees] of flaps. As aircraft became airborne it didn't seem to be developing full power....Aborted takeoff going over embankment at end of runway."

According to the FAA Safety Inspector, during an interview with the pilot after the accident, the pilot stated that during the takeoff roll he thought the engine lost about 100 to 150 revolutions per minute. The pilot stated he aborted the takeoff about 1,000 feet down the 1,500 foot long, wet, grass airstrip. He stated he steered the airplane into taller grass in attempt to "...assist the braking action." The pilot said that the airplane "...appeared to almost be stopped, but went down a 4 foot-high embankment at the end of the airstrip." The pilot stated that while rolling down the embankment, the airplane's nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed down. The left wing contacted the ground damaging the wing's strut.

Postaccident examination of the accident site revealed the airstrip to be a portion of a mowed grass field with the surrounding grass being about 12 inches high. The mowed section of the field was about 20 feet wide and 1,500 feet long. The mowed grass was not removed. About 1,200 feet down the mowed strip there were three ground marks that departed the mowed strip and continued through the taller grass down an embankment.

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies.