18) Rejected takeoff (RTO)
13 fatal accidents on record
The airlines make exceptional efforts to both brief and be ready for the RTO. They even include it as a maneuver on all recurrent check rides under AQP. General Aviation for single engine planes does not have such a maneuver, nor does it have any mention of in training material. The main emphasis is to know the abort points during any takeoff such as insufficient speed at a certain marker, or stagnating airspeed, or unknown vibration, etc. The pilot should be thinking about the runway length and how aggressively braking is going to occur if an RTO is required.
Trend
- Accidents per quarter
- Rolling 12-month average
| Period | Accidents | Rolling 12-month average per quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | 0 | 2.8 |
| Q2 2025 | 0 | 2.3 |
| Q3 2025 | 0 | 0.5 |
| Q4 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Q1 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Q2 2026 | 1 | 0.3 |
| Q3 2026 | 0 | 0.3 |
| Q4 2026 QTD | 0 | 0.3 |
Lessons
Short reads from the DTSB lesson library for this category.
No lessons for this category yet.
Practice scenarios
What to practice to keep this from happening to you. Fly drills with a qualified instructor at a safe altitude, or in a simulator.
No practice scenarios for this category yet.
Recent accidents in this category
Lancair 235 | N10CF
18) Rejected takeoff (RTO)Honda HA-420 HondaJet | N57HP
18) Rejected takeoff (RTO)Cessna 180G | N4631U
18) Rejected takeoff (RTO)Sonex Aircraft Sonex | N966DP
18) Rejected takeoff (RTO)Aero Commander 200D | N2912T
18) Rejected takeoff (RTO)Cessna CE-550 | N689VP
18) Rejected takeoff (RTO)