Cessna 177B N34468 accident near Lakeview, Arkansas

Probable cause

The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, although he needed to apply a little more power than normal while taxiing, the engine performed normally during the engine run-up. He stated that the airplane did not gain sufficient groundspeed during the takeoff roll to become airborne, and he waited too long to abort the takeoff. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway and down an embankment, resulting in substantial damage to the aft fuselage. The pilot stated that he did not notice a loss of engine rpm during the takeoff and that he had little experience operating on grass airstrips. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN12CA447 for the full record.