Incident Details
During a cross-country ferry flight to deliver an aircraft to its new owner, the pilot attempted to fly through a mountain pass with an elevation of 12,095 feet above mean sea level (msl). The pilot climbed the aircraft to 12,000 feet msl and reported that the aircraft would not maintain speed or achieve an engine rpm better than 2,350 (maximum rpm is 2,600). The aircraft settled at a rate of 75 to 150 feet per minute. The temperature at that altitude was 54 degrees Fahrenheit.
Forced Landing and Aftermath
The pilot executed a forced landing. During the landing, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot sustained minor injuries, hiked to the nearest road, obtained help, and was transported to a local hospital.
Investigation Findings
According to the aircraft's climb performance chart, the combination of 12,000 feet msl and 54 degrees Fahrenheit is outside the chart limits, placing the aircraft outside the climb performance flight envelope. Following the accident and recovery of the aircraft, an inspection of the engine revealed that it could be operated. Two test runs were conducted, and the engine performed to its maximum capability for the temperature and altitude present at the time of the runs.