Narrative:

I calculated the runway takeoff requirements from the poh (1500 ft). The aircraft was within limits. The maximum gross weight for a sierra is 2750 pounds and there is 2500 ft available runway at ZZZ. Prior to boarding for flight that afternoon; I performed a standard preflight inspection; and then followed the checklist for starting a run-up. I noticed nothing unusual in the preflight; run-up and magneto check. I checked visually and on unicom for aircraft in the pattern and there was none. I announced that I was back-taxiing on runway 28 for takeoff to the west. I back-taxied to within 100 ft of the end of the runway and reversed direction for takeoff. The aircraft was set up for a standard takeoff confign with 15 degrees of flaps. I moved the throttle forward quickly; and confirmed that the mixture was full rich and the propeller pitch was set full forward. As we accelerated; I monitored airspeed. At about 1/2 way down the runway; airspeed was less than I expected (about 45 KTS). Liftoff is at 65 KTS. A couple of seconds more and we were still only 50 KTS and about 2/3 the way the runway. I decided that it was unsafe to attempt takeoff and aborted. I cut the throttle and applied the brakes. About 200 ft from the end of the runway; the left main tire blew out and the airplane started to pull to the left. I was able to keep aircraft on the runway but could not stop the aircraft before reaching the end of the runway. As the act crossed the threshold; the propeller struck a runway light on a pedestal and then stopped with the left wheel about 6 ft off of the runway. The airplane was pointing southerly (to the left). The engine was still running and I stopped it by pulling the mixture. I checked to see if my passenger was alright and we exited the airplane. I have repeatedly thought about the incident and; upon reflection; I do not know whether it was necessary to abort the takeoff. The airplane was within weight limits (gross weight at takeoff was approximately 2550 pounds) and the runway required for takeoff in that confign with the conditions at that time (2000 ft density altitude; about 92 degrees F; and a 10 KT headwind from approximately 260 degrees) was less than 1500 ft. A slight incline on the east end of the runway might have caused the airplane to accelerate more slowly than I was anticipating; and the drop-off and gradual rise past the western end of the runway might have made it look like a greater incline than it really is. Unfamiliarity with takeoff requirements at high density altitude was a factor. Had I performed a short field takeoff; I might not have been in a situation where I felt it was necessary to abort. Also; I could have waited until later in the day when the density altitude and temperature were lower; which would have resulted in improved takeoff performance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE24 PILOT REJECTS TKOF DUE TO LOW PERFORMANCE AND DEPARTS RWY END AT LOW SPEED.

Narrative: I CALCULATED THE RWY TKOF REQUIREMENTS FROM THE POH (1500 FT). THE ACFT WAS WITHIN LIMITS. THE MAX GROSS WT FOR A SIERRA IS 2750 LBS AND THERE IS 2500 FT AVAILABLE RWY AT ZZZ. PRIOR TO BOARDING FOR FLT THAT AFTERNOON; I PERFORMED A STANDARD PREFLT INSPECTION; AND THEN FOLLOWED THE CHKLIST FOR STARTING A RUN-UP. I NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL IN THE PREFLT; RUN-UP AND MAGNETO CHK. I CHKED VISUALLY AND ON UNICOM FOR ACFT IN THE PATTERN AND THERE WAS NONE. I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS BACK-TAXIING ON RWY 28 FOR TKOF TO THE W. I BACK-TAXIED TO WITHIN 100 FT OF THE END OF THE RWY AND REVERSED DIRECTION FOR TKOF. THE ACFT WAS SET UP FOR A STANDARD TKOF CONFIGN WITH 15 DEGS OF FLAPS. I MOVED THE THROTTLE FORWARD QUICKLY; AND CONFIRMED THAT THE MIXTURE WAS FULL RICH AND THE PROP PITCH WAS SET FULL FORWARD. AS WE ACCELERATED; I MONITORED AIRSPD. AT ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THE RWY; AIRSPD WAS LESS THAN I EXPECTED (ABOUT 45 KTS). LIFTOFF IS AT 65 KTS. A COUPLE OF SECONDS MORE AND WE WERE STILL ONLY 50 KTS AND ABOUT 2/3 THE WAY THE RWY. I DECIDED THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO ATTEMPT TKOF AND ABORTED. I CUT THE THROTTLE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. ABOUT 200 FT FROM THE END OF THE RWY; THE L MAIN TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO PULL TO THE L. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP ACFT ON THE RWY BUT COULD NOT STOP THE ACFT BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE RWY. AS THE ACT CROSSED THE THRESHOLD; THE PROP STRUCK A RWY LIGHT ON A PEDESTAL AND THEN STOPPED WITH THE L WHEEL ABOUT 6 FT OFF OF THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE WAS POINTING SOUTHERLY (TO THE L). THE ENG WAS STILL RUNNING AND I STOPPED IT BY PULLING THE MIXTURE. I CHKED TO SEE IF MY PAX WAS ALRIGHT AND WE EXITED THE AIRPLANE. I HAVE REPEATEDLY THOUGHT ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND; UPON REFLECTION; I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WAS NECESSARY TO ABORT THE TKOF. THE AIRPLANE WAS WITHIN WT LIMITS (GROSS WT AT TKOF WAS APPROX 2550 LBS) AND THE RWY REQUIRED FOR TKOF IN THAT CONFIGN WITH THE CONDITIONS AT THAT TIME (2000 FT DENSITY ALT; ABOUT 92 DEGS F; AND A 10 KT HEADWIND FROM APPROX 260 DEGS) WAS LESS THAN 1500 FT. A SLIGHT INCLINE ON THE E END OF THE RWY MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO ACCELERATE MORE SLOWLY THAN I WAS ANTICIPATING; AND THE DROP-OFF AND GRADUAL RISE PAST THE WESTERN END OF THE RWY MIGHT HAVE MADE IT LOOK LIKE A GREATER INCLINE THAN IT REALLY IS. UNFAMILIARITY WITH TKOF REQUIREMENTS AT HIGH DENSITY ALT WAS A FACTOR. HAD I PERFORMED A SHORT FIELD TKOF; I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO ABORT. ALSO; I COULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY WHEN THE DENSITY ALT AND TEMP WERE LOWER; WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN IMPROVED TKOF PERFORMANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.