[don-o]

My gut says you nailed it. Not enough roll speed to get that bird in the air. Screwed the pooch, indeed.

They already know this.

[Pukin Dog]

Here is a pdf chart of the airfield>

Runway 8/26

Dimensions: 

3500 x 75 ft. / 1067 x 23 m

Surface: 

asphalt/concrete, in poor condition
CONC IS SEVERELY CRACKED.

Weight bearing capacity: 

Single wheel:

12500 lbs

Runway edge lights: 

medium intensity
MIRL RY 08/26 OTS INDEFLY.

RUNWAY 8

RUNWAY 26

Latitude: 

38-02.339143N

38-02.433593N

Longitude: 

084-36.574985W

084-35.855642W

Elevation: 

969.5 ft.

972.6 ft.

Gradient: 

0.3

0.3

Traffic pattern: 

left

left

Runway heading: 

085 magnetic, 081 true

265 magnetic, 261 true

Markings: 

basic, in fair condition

basic, in fair condition

Runway end identifier lights: 

yes
REIL OTS INDEFLY.

Touchdown point: 

yes, no lights

yes, no lights

Obstructions: 

25 ft. tree, 400 ft. from runway, 150 ft. right of centerline, 8:1 slope to clear

17 ft. pole, 552 ft. from runway, 39 ft. left of centerline, 20:1 slope to clear

Note the condition of the runway from the AIRNAV site info. Severly cracked runway, too short to begin with, they never had a chance.

[jcs1744]

It was still a piss poor idea to rotate even though there evidently wasn't even close to enough speed to make a safe takeoff. He probably should've kept the plane on the ground and put it through the field. It wouldn't have been pretty, but I don't think 49 people would've been killed.