Cessna CE-550 | N689VP

The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that the pilot departed runway 16 with either one or both engines not operating at proper thrust. A pilot certificated witness heard the airplane’s engines and noted that they sounded unusual, so he went to observe the airplane. He saw the airplane as it flew down the last 1/3 portion of the 5,003 ft long runway, about 10 ft above ground level in a near level attitude. The airplane then collided with power lines and a restaurant building. The pilot had the opportunity to abort the takeoff early in the takeoff run but did not do so.

The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft become familiar with the AQP RTO criteria, and the AQP 50/70 rule for determining when to abort a takeoff. In the case of a jet, the pilot is aware of a V1, or decision speed, but does not have any metric available to determine at what point the V1 speed should be attained. The V1 speed and abort concept only becomes valid when none of the four RTO continued takeoff disqualifiers are present in the takeoff.