Based upon an estimated takeoff weight of , the manufacturer calculated that a speed of and a distance of would have been needed for rotation (increasing nose-up pitch), with more runway needed to achieve lift-off. At a speed approaching , Polehinke remarked, "That is weird with no lights" referring to the lack of lighting on Runway 26 – it was about an hour before daybreak. "Yeah", confirmed Clay, but the flight data recorder (FDR) gave no indication either pilot tried to abort the takeoff as the aircraft accelerated to .