Pilot of small aircraft aborted takeoff, excursioned off end of runway.

Attributes
ACN	127638
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n04
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : day
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 206
ASRS Report	127638
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I initiated a takeoff roll abort at madison airport (N04). This decision resulted in the aircraft to come to rest off the paved portion of runway 06. The direction of travel remained on the runway centerline. The nose wheel was embedded in the spongy turf. Prior to takeoff a full challenge and response checklist was initiated for short field operations. All instrumentation appeared normal. At midfield during the takeoff roll, vr had not been achieved. There appeared to be a lack of sufficient power. Due to a 135' obstacle 1/4 mi from departure end of the runway, I opted to abort, keeping the plane on the ground. I pumped the brakes to avoid skidding into a ground loop and applied full back pressure on the yoke, taking weight off the nose wheel upon leaving the paved portion of the runway. Power was pulled back immediately upon the decision to abort. In retrospect, I believe this decision was correct and the safest option available. I also believe the lack of airspeed/power was a result of carburetor ice. Damage to the aircraft appeared to be very minor, limited to a crack in the fiberglass of the nose wheel faring. There were no injuries. I currently hold an instrument rating and am working on my commercial ticket. I consider myself to be both a safe and serious pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ABORTED TKOF, EXCURSIONED OFF END OF RWY.

Narrative: I INITIATED A TKOF ROLL ABORT AT MADISON ARPT (N04). THIS DECISION RESULTED IN THE ACFT TO COME TO REST OFF THE PAVED PORTION OF RWY 06. THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL REMAINED ON THE RWY CENTERLINE. THE NOSE WHEEL WAS EMBEDDED IN THE SPONGY TURF. PRIOR TO TKOF A FULL CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE CHECKLIST WAS INITIATED FOR SHORT FIELD OPERATIONS. ALL INSTRUMENTATION APPEARED NORMAL. AT MIDFIELD DURING THE TKOF ROLL, VR HAD NOT BEEN ACHIEVED. THERE APPEARED TO BE A LACK OF SUFFICIENT POWER. DUE TO A 135' OBSTACLE 1/4 MI FROM DEP END OF THE RWY, I OPTED TO ABORT, KEEPING THE PLANE ON THE GND. I PUMPED THE BRAKES TO AVOID SKIDDING INTO A GND LOOP AND APPLIED FULL BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE, TAKING WEIGHT OFF THE NOSE WHEEL UPON LEAVING THE PAVED PORTION OF THE RWY. POWER WAS PULLED BACK IMMEDIATELY UPON THE DECISION TO ABORT. IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE THIS DECISION WAS CORRECT AND THE SAFEST OPTION AVAILABLE. I ALSO BELIEVE THE LACK OF AIRSPEED/POWER WAS A RESULT OF CARBURETOR ICE. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE VERY MINOR, LIMITED TO A CRACK IN THE FIBERGLASS OF THE NOSE WHEEL FARING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I CURRENTLY HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING AND AM WORKING ON MY COMMERCIAL TICKET. I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE BOTH A SAFE AND SERIOUS PLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.