Accident Overview
A pilot reported that during takeoff, the airplane accelerated to a little over 60 knots on the runway. After liftoff, the aircraft was initially sluggish to climb. The pilot lowered the nose to gain more speed in ground effect, reaching about 70 knots. The airplane began to gain altitude, and the pilot continued the departure.
Shortly after clearing the end of the runway, a loss of power and climb performance occurred. With trees and houses ahead and insufficient altitude to clear them, the pilot decided to land in a field with deep grass just north of the airport.
Landing and Damage
Upon landing in the field, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the front of the fuselage. The pilot and both passengers exited the airplane without significant injuries.
Pilot Observations
After the accident, the pilot stated that he believed he may not have leaned the engine enough during run-up, resulting in less than 100 percent available power for climbout. He also reported that the spark plugs may have been fouled due to the mixture setting, causing the loss of available power immediately after takeoff.
The pilot noted that the airplane was loaded to within 65 pounds of its maximum gross weight, and with a calculated density altitude of 10,400 feet, the anticipated climb rate of 300 feet per minute required full power as outlined in the Pilot Operating Handbook. He stated that if there were not deep grass in the landing field, he could have landed the airplane without incident.