Background
The pilot arrived at the airport the previous day and asked several questions of a locally based flight instructor. The pilot expressed concerns about mountainous operations and leaning the mixture on the engine. The certified flight instructor answered the questions and felt the pilot appeared to be a low-time private pilot who had not flown recently.
Accident Sequence
During the accident flight departure, the pilot crossed a runway hold line while taxiing to the runway for takeoff. The air traffic controller queried the pilot, who then requested a different runway. During the takeoff roll, the pilot queried the tower controller about noise abatement procedures. The airplane traveled approximately 5,000 feet down the 7,214-foot runway before lifting off. It continued down the runway about 12 feet above ground level. Witnesses reported that the engine did not sound like it was producing full power, and the airplane was "wallowing" as it flew down the length of the remaining runway. The airplane barely cleared the airport perimeter fence and touched down about 80 yards from the fence. After the airplane collided with a series of obstacles, a post-impact fire consumed the airplane.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector prior to disturbance of the wreckage revealed that the cockpit mixture control was approximately 3 inches aft of its full rich position. The engine was installed in an instrumented test cell and ran smoothly, though it only produced a maximum of 2,550 rpm during the test run. The airport elevation is 5,140 feet mean sea level.
Pilot Experience
Based on the pilot's logbook entries, he had limited mountain flying experience and normally took a southern route when flying across country.