Aborted Take off

[Cruiser]

Another first for me. I did something new on my last flight. I aborted the take off.     For real. 

 

Just as I was reaching lift off airspeed, the door popped open. Apparently the pilot (me) asked the passenger if the door was locked when doing the pre take off check list instead of physically checking it. First lesson learned.

 

Second, how many of you calculate and visually identify the point on the runway where it is no longer possible to safely abort and stop the airplane on the take off roll?

[mooniac15u]

I don't think I would have aborted for an open door. 

[Mooneymite]

I don't think I would have aborted for an open door. 

 

Not all aborts are created equal....depends on the speed at which it happened.

 

Without reference to any charts, I would guess that an abort right before lift off could be safely completed with 2000' remaining on a standard day, but a better question might be "Would you rather fly with a door cracked open, or find out if you can stop in the runway remaining?".

 

Most Mooney owners have found that the airplane flies just fine with the cabin door ajar.

[chrisk]

A similar incident happened to me about a month ago.   The latch was not completely forward, and the door came unlatched as speed picked up. Anyway, the plane flies fine with the cabin door unlatched, and there is even a procedure in the POH to deal with this in the air.    Unless I had a lot of runway in front of me, I would just take off, stay in the pattern, and land again.  (Which is what I did)  --Now if it was the baggage door, it would be a much tougher call.

 

And I should add, I probably need to do a better job of knowing where the abort point is at my home field.  Some aborts are clear, and I don't care how long the runway is.  For questionable ones, it would be nice to know I can stop before running off the end of the runway.

[BigTex]

I generally use the windsock as my abort point as it's almost always at the midpoint of the runway. So it makes it pretty easy to determine what's remaining.

[fantom]

Several years ago, I witnessed a Mooney abort a takeoff about midway down a 3,500 ft runway, due to an open baggage door.

 

He got it stopped OK, but ran off the runway....yes, to the left. Don't think he had any damage to his gear doors.

 

Be careful, my friends, and have a plan.

[bonal]

We had our door open after rotation and just flew the pattern and landed safely. No way we could have aborted on our 3500ft home runway.

[aviatoreb]

I have aborted twice - but they were in my previous airplane the da40. About 5 and 6 yrs ago reap.

Once a dear ran across the runway (down the runway before I would have been up) - I was doing maybe 30kts and easily stopped.

Once despite a successful run up / the engine made an ugly choking shudder just moments after applying full power. I was doing maybe 15kts: when I pulled off it failed mag check. Turns out a chunk of carbon got sucked into the plugs. That we figured out the next day when the ap visited because I had put her away for the day.

[scottfromiowa]

Thank you for being a dear and stopping for the deer:)

[aviatoreb]

Thank you for being a dear and stopping for the deer:)

I know I know - I never could spell. :-0

[201er]

I like the comment that not all abortd takeoffs are equal. If you have 5,000ft of runway ahead of you, then why not? Otherwise evaluate. Not worth overrunning the end for a door. Here's a video of a takeoff I aborted for geese, you will later see that they turned parallel the runway and I would have rotated right into them. No way they can outfly a Mooney!

Another takeoff I abortd was due to malfunctioning ASI (forgot to remove cover). If the abort is easy with ample runway, it is more convenient than having to fly and come back. If aborting is risky, then fly and deal later.

As for the closing door procedure in POH, don't bother. Never was able to close door in flight. Always have to land to do it. Never and I mean never trust passengers to close the door properly!

[agpilot]

A bit off the topic, I suppose it is sound practice to study the POH thoroughly. Some time ago I took off from Tempe ( South Africa ) with the

pitotcover on and discovered  the gear would not retract. I know I should have checked " airspeed alive" on the roll, but cropsprayers

seldom does. Sometimes these things happen to sharpen us again, two lessons in one.

[wishboneash]

Only time I aborted a take off was at dusk at Nut Tree airport (CA) last year, the engine began to run rough and there was no way it would have made enough power to climb out. Turned out cyl #1 lost all compression. I pulled the power off completely, braked and taxied off the runway. Had the roughness occurred a few seconds later, I might have been airborne and looking for a place to land (probably similar to the Indiana crash). Everything was normal during the run up.

[fantom]

When you're aborting your take-off get your right hand DOWN and pull your flaps up ASAP...shorter stopping distance, you know.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

I've never thought to calculate an abort point at any airport. Interesting thought. At my home airport the main runway is practically long enough to abort three takeoffs in succession. 

 

I had a door pop open right after liftoff from Telluride many years ago. Like the OP, I left it to the passenger to close and lock the door.

 

Aborting was not an option because there was very little runway left. Had to circle and land without being able to hear the tower because my passenger's mic was picking up all the wind noise and overpowering the intercom. I transmitted my intentions to the tower in the blind and told them I couldn't hear them. It all worked out fine and they were cool about it.

 

Two lessons learned: 1. Always secure and check the door yourself. 2. Unplug all pax headsets if a door pops open, or switch to pilot isolation mode on the intercom.