Originally Posted by
kento
well the article said that the lights on that runway aren't ever on, but should only be used for daytime takeoffs, landings. apparently for that plane with its load, the runway was only 39 feet short... maybe he thought he could do it and brag to his buddies
I was talking to a civilian pilot yesterday and he said there are two choices in a situation similar to this. Once it was realized that the runway was too short the pilot has two options. Abort the takeoff and crash into whatever is ahead or to attempt a takeoff. I guess he took the latter choice seeing he didn't know what was ahead of him.