SMA HAS ENG PWR PROB ON TKOF UNABLE TO CLB. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.
Synopsis
SMA HAS ENG PWR PROB ON TKOF UNABLE TO CLB. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.
Narrative
I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE PA28-140 AND WAS FLYING FROM ARKANSAS TO ALASKA FOR A SUMMER FLYING JOB. A FUEL STOP WAS MADE IN GILLETTE. THE CONDITIONS AT GILLETTE WERE GUSTY WINDS WITH A TEMP OF 69 DEGS F. THE DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE NEAR 6000 FT. WITH THE AIRPLANE BEING NEAR GROSS WT; THE RWY DISTANCE WAS ADEQUATE FOR A TKOF OVER A 50 FT OBSTACLE AND THE RATE OF CLB DETERMINED TO BE BTWN 300-400 FPM. THE AIRPLANE ENG AND ALL SYS CHKED NORMAL PRIOR TO TKOF. AFTER TKOF CLRNC FROM GCC TWR; I SET THE THROTTLE TO FULL FORWARD AND LEANED THE MIXTURE FOR MAX PERFORMANCE. THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED SLOWLY; BUT REACHED LIFTOFF SPD (WHICH I DELAYED UNTIL 80 MPH DUE TO THE GUSTY WINDS). THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AS I EXPECTED CONSIDERING THE CONDITIONS AND I ANTICIPATED A NORMAL CLBOUT. AT THE END OF THE RWY; AS THE AIRPLANE WAS CLBING THROUGH APPROX 100-200 FT; I FELT THE AIRPLANE BEGIN TO SINK. I TRIED VARIOUS SPDS AND MIXTURE SETTINGS TRYING TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE. EACH TIME THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO CLB; IT WOULD THEN BEGIN A DSCNT. WITH RISING TERRAIN AHEAD; I OPTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG RATHER THEN RISK IMPACT WITH RISING TERRAIN OR PWR LINES. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES. I SURMISE THAT WITH THE ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE COUPLED WITH THE LOSS OF LIFT CAUSED BY THE WIND GUSTS; THE TOTAL PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS QUESTIONABLE. A SUCCESSFUL TKOF WAS MADE THE FOLLOWING DAY UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS EXCEPT THAT THE WIND WAS LESS GUSTY. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO DO WHAT I DID -- MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IF IN DOUBT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.