NYC00LA244

The pilot initiated a takeoff toward obstacles. Once airborne he decided that the airplane would not clear the obstacles and he aborted the takeoff. The airplane overran the runway and went into rough terrain where the nose landing gear was sheared off and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that he should have picked up the second passenger at a nearby airport. Performance data indicated the airplane would need about 1,975 to clear a 50-foot obstacle. The pilot reported the turf runway was about 1,600 feet long, with a rough surface overrun of about 500 feet, and 50-foot high trees at the end of the overrun.

On August 29, 2000, about 1000 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 172L, N7664G, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff from a private, non-designated airport in Windsor, New Hampshire. The certificated private pilot and one passenger were not injured. One passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In the Safety Board Form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form, the pilot reported:

"...Barely after liftoff, I decided to abort the take off because I sensed I had insufficient speed and lift. I rolled out onto a rough end off the grass field where the nose-wheel got caught in a deep rut stopping the airplane which rolled over slowly...."

In an interview, the pilot reported the accident occurred on the turf runway located on his property. The runway was orientated north/south and was about 1,600 feet long. An additional 500 feet had been cleared for use; however, the surface was uneven dirt with rocks present. Trees about 50 feet high were present at the end of the cleared area to the north.

An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), reported the firewall was buckled on the airplane. He also reported that the depression the nose wheel passed through, blended in with the surrounding terrain and was very difficult to see. In addition, the pilot reported that he had landed and departed from the airport many times with no problems.

In the recommendation section of the Safety Board Form 6120.1/2. the pilot reported the accident could have been prevented by flying to a nearby airport to pickup the second passenger.

The closest reporting stations with weather were Concord, New Hampshire, elevation 341 feet, located 23 miles from Windsor, and Manchester, New Hampshire, elevation 234 feet, located 28 miles from Windsor. They each reported a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The density altitude at Windsor was estimated to be about 2,500 feet, using the temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The airplane was estimated to be about 200 pounds below gross weight. A check of the takeoff chart for the Cessna 172 revealed that at maximum gross weight, the airplane would require 1,976 feet to clear a 50 foot obstacle. This included corrections for an altitude of 1,350 feet, a temperature of 75 F, and a turf surface runway.