Cessna 177B N34641 accident near Middleberry, Vermont

Probable cause

The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the takeoff.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, he performed a run-up and proceeded to the departure end of the runway. He applied full power and began the takeoff roll. With the airplane about halfway down the runway, the pilot realized that the airplane was not developing as much airspeed as he expected. As the airplane approached the end of the runway, he decided to abort the takeoff. He pulled back the throttle and applied the brakes but the airplane did not slow down quickly enough. The airplane ran off the end of the runway, traveled down an embankment, and came to rest in a marshy area, substantially damaging the forward section of the fuselage. The pilot noted that he had forgotten to set the flaps properly for takeoff. During a postaccident examination of the wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA388 for the full record.