Cessna 182S N493JL accident near Los Cruces, New Mexico

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of aircraft control due to insufficient aircraft performance during takeoff, with a heavy gross weight and a high density altitude.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, during takeoff the airplane's airspeed was not increasing above 40 knots and he elected to abort the takeoff. The pilot pulled back on the control yoke to slow down and applied the brakes. The airplane bounced two or three times, and then the landing gear collapsed and the propeller struck the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. Witnesses reported that the airplane was approximately 30 to 40 feet above the ground before it descended back to the runway and bounced three times. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector calculated the density altitude as 7,700 feet and the weight of the airplane near the maximum takeoff weight. The FAA inspector confirmed that there were no mechanical anomalies or failures with the airplane, engine, or related systems prior to the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11CA560 for the full record.