What happened
The flight began with the pilot ensuring the fuel tanks were fully filled before boarding five passengers along with their luggage. The departure occurred on runway 35 from an airport situated at an elevation of 8,382 feet mean sea level (msl). At the time of takeoff, the density altitude was calculated to be 9,419 feet msl, indicating significant performance degradation due to high altitude and temperature conditions.
Immediately after liftoff, the pilot retracted the landing gear. Shortly thereafter, he perceived the airplane to settle slightly in flight. In response to this sensation, the pilot extended the landing gear back down. Despite these efforts, the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude and impacted a fence during the subsequent forced landing attempt.
The investigation
Post-accident analysis revealed that the aircraft was significantly overloaded at departure. The certified maximum gross takeoff weight for the airplane was 5,200 pounds. However, calculations based on the actual load indicated a takeoff weight of approximately 5,459 pounds. This excess weight, combined with the high density altitude, critically reduced the aircraft's climb performance and ability to sustain flight after gear retraction.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to the accident included the pilot's decision to operate an overloaded aircraft at a high-density altitude. The excessive weight prevented adequate climb gradient, leading to the inability to maintain controlled flight after the landing gear was retracted. The resulting loss of altitude forced the emergency landing into terrain obstacles.
Safety message
Pilots must strictly adhere to maximum gross takeoff weight limitations, particularly when operating from high-elevation airports where density altitude further reduces aircraft performance. Failure to account for weight and balance in conjunction with atmospheric conditions can lead to catastrophic loss of climb capability.