U-FIT

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

Fatal accidents per quarter, last 8 quarters, with a rolling 12-month average (per quarter)
  • Accidents per quarter
  • Rolling 12-month average
18) Rejected takeoff (RTO): Fatal accidents per quarter, last 8 quarters, with a rolling 12-month average (per quarter)
PeriodAccidentsRolling 12-month average per quarter
Q1 202502.8
Q2 202502.3
Q3 202500.5
Q4 202500
Q1 202600
Q2 202610.3
Q3 202600.3
Q4 2026 QTD00.3

Lessons

Short reads from the DTSB lesson library for this category.

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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.

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Recent accidents in this category

See all 13 in the accident index →