Shortage of runway
Running out of runway on a strip take off was not new, during our little sojurn in Rhodesia we did something similar in that we were tasked to drop off one person at a strip which had been surveyed and passed as suitable. On arrival at the strip a pass was flown to check it out and a twin piston was seen parked on a little area with the engines running but no sign of life. Calls were made on common frequencies and another pass made but no response so the captain, N--l S------t, decided we would land and so we did. As we taxied down to the turning area N--l remarked it was needing a fair bit of power to keep the frame moving at which the Loady, P---e T--S, may his memory live forever, looking out over the open ramp said seeing the size of the ruts we were making it was not suprising especially as he could see a groove where the aerials were touching the ground! N--l remarked that if the pax wanted off he could drop off the ramp as we were not stopping. So as we straightened up power was applied, the ramp and door closed and the take off run commenced without the usual sprightly acceleration expected even in Rhodesia. The ever increasing proximity of the scrub at the end of the strip was commented on by the flight deck as we progressed and I believe the eventual rotation and transition into flight took place at a rather low figure. Ground effect is a wonderful thing!
It appeared that the day before our landing there had been some heavy rain in the area which made a complete b-------s of the previous survey. The twin got out by using the edge of the strip to take off, the lack of response was due to the habit off leaving the engines running while doing other things in case they wouldn't start on the strip.
The actual point off take off was checked but was passed on as" you don't really want to know " but I gather quite a few bushes perished in the attempt!
And to Dougie, long live the Kentucky Hotel.