ALBUQUERQUE, NM, USA
N5648H
PIPER PA-16
BOTH OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE RATED PILOTS AND HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT. THEY WERE FERRYING THE PLANE FROM NEW YORK STATE TO CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, HE LIFTED OFF NEAR THE MID-POINT OF THE RUNWAY AND HELD A FLAT ATTITUDE TO GAIN AIRSPEED. HE FELT THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH CLIMB DEVELOPING TO GET OVER TREES AND TURNED LEFT 15 DEGREES. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PLANE TOOK OFF AT A RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED AND NEVER SEEMED TO ACCELERATE. AFTER TURNING, THE PLANE MUSHED INTO STEADILY RISING TERRAIN. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE CONTROLS REVEALED THAT THE FUEL PRIMER WAS IN AN UNLOCKED POSITION. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A RICH MIXTURE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 6800 FT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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