What happened
On 25 November 1999, a Piper PA-28RT-2001 Arrow IV, registration G-BOUS, was attempting to depart from Runway 06 at Cark Airfield for a flight to Hawarden. During the takeoff roll, the pilot retracted the landing gear and activated the emergency retraction button to accelerate the process. Shortly after becoming airborne, the aircraft failed to gain significant altitude, and the stall warning horn activated. In an effort to increase airspeed, the pilot lowered the aircraft's nose, which caused the landing gear to deploy automatically.
During this period, the aircraft struck a power cable, causing a significant leftward yaw before the cable snapped. The pilot attempted to retract the gear a second time, but the left main gear remained extended. The aircraft subsequently touched down in a field, passed through a hedge, and eventually came to a stop against a tree and a railway embankment. The three occupants, including the pilot and two passengers, sustained minor injuries and were able to evacuate the aircraft via the door without fire.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's weight and performance capabilities. The total weight of the pilot and two passengers was 602 lbs, and the aircraft's empty weight was 1,808 lbs. With full fuel tanks containing 72 US gallons, the aircraft was likely operating near its maximum takeoff weight of 2,750 lbs.
Analysis of the takeoff performance data showed that for a takeoff without flaps on a level, dry runway with no wind, the distance to 50 feet would be approximately 2,200 feet. Given that Runway 06 at Cark has a usable length of 400 metres, the aircraft's performance requirements exceeded the available runway length. The investigation also noted that while using 25 degrees of flaps could reduce takeoff distance, the aircraft's weight and the specific runway conditions contributed to the difficulty in maintaining climb performance.