Bellanca 7ECA N87083 accident near Oak Ridge, Louisiana

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the aborted takeoff, which resulted in it becoming airborne momentarily and then over running the runway.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot reported that, during the attempted takeoff from the turf airstrip, the airplane was not at the expected airspeed three-quarters of the way down the runway, and he decided to abort the takeoff. The airplane became airborne momentarily as the pilot applied brakes and aft control input. Once the airplane settled, he was unable to stop it before it overran the end of the runway, and the airplane then impacted two ditches, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The pilot was departing with a left crosswind and during high density altitude conditions. It is likely that the density altitude coupled with the turf runway increased the distance required to attain the necessary speed for takeoff. Further, the slight balloon of the airplane as the pilot tried to stop it increased the required distance to stop the airplane, and insufficient runway was remaining to stop the airplane.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN16LA250 for the full record.