AGUA DULCE, CA, USA
N5809U
PIPER PA-28-140
DURING INITIAL CLIMB TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN, THE PILOT NOTICED HE WAS NOT VERY HIGH BUT SENSED NO IMMEDIATE DANGER. HE STATED HE PLANNED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH A LOWER PASS IN THE HILLS BUT NOTICED HIS RATE OF CLIMB WAS VERY LOW AND HE COULD NOT IMPROVE IT. HE STATED THE TERRAIN WAS RISING FASTER THAN HE WAS. ACCORDING TO PIPER AIRCRAFT COMPANY CALCULATIONS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED 3/4/ OF AN INCH FORWARD OF THE MAXIMUM FORWARD CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT OF THE AIRCRAFT. CALCULATIONS ESTABLISHED THAT THE TERRAIN ROSE AT A RATE OF 450 FEET PER MILE WHILE THE MAXIMUM CLIMB RATE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS 375 FEET PER MILE.
A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM PREFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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