What happened
The pilot attempted a takeoff from a paved 8,999-foot runway located at 6,606 feet MSL. At the start of the initial takeoff attempt, the aircraft was approximately 50 pounds under gross weight. Environmental conditions included winds down the runway of 20 to 25 knots, a temperature of 50 degrees, and a density altitude of approximately 8,100 feet MSL.
About three-quarters of the way down the runway, the pilot aborted the takeoff. The pilot taxied back to the terminal and removed a passenger weighing approximately 300 pounds, bringing the aircraft to an estimated 350 pounds below the gross weight limit. Upon receiving clearance for a second takeoff attempt, the pilot set the mixture to full rich and gradually leaned it to approximately 20 gallons per hour. The pilot noted that acceleration felt slow but typical for a loaded aircraft.
After reaching an altitude of approximately 100 feet AGL, the climb performance began to deteriorate. The control tower advised a 15-degree right turn toward lower terrain, which the pilot executed while clearing treetops by about 50 feet. Despite performing additional in-flight checks on engine systems and utilizing fuel boost pumps, no increase in performance was observed. Approximately 10 minutes into the flight, the aircraft remained only 50 to 100 feet above the treetops and approached high-tension power lines without sufficient altitude to clear them. The pilot began searching for a landing site, but the aircraft subsequently collided with trees approximately 14 miles from the departure point.
The investigation
An examination of the magnetos by the manufacturer identified numerous discrepancies that affected the optimum performance of the engine.