What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Failed accelerate or climb after liftoff. Descended into trees. Over gross weight and high density altitude factors (.4) while departing a high density altitude airport at a high gross weight, the airplane climbed about 50 feet and did not accelerate. The airplane was observed descending before colliding with trees about 1/2-mile off the departure end of the runway. Weight and balance computations placed the airplane over maximum allowable gross weight. The density altitude was computed at 8,493 feet above mean sea level. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction found with the airplane. The departure airport is known for its high density altitude and downdrafts at the end of the departure runway. Review of the pilot's flight experience revealed he had operated at one high density altitude airport in the past, where he accomplished one takeoff and landing with a flight instructor.
As the FAA filed it
FAILED ACCELERATE OR CLIMB AFTER LIFTOFF. DESCENDED INTO TREES. OVER GROSS WEIGHT AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE FACTORS (.4) WHILE DEPARTING A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT AT A HIGH GROSS WEIGHT, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED ABOUT 50 FEET AND DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING BEFORE COLLIDING WITH TREES ABOUT 1/2-MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WEIGHT AND BALANCE COMPUTATIONS PLACED THE AIRPLANE OVER MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED AT 8,493 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT IS KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND DOWNDRAFTS AT THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S FLIGHT EXPERIENCE REVEALED HE HAD OPERATED AT ONE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT IN THE PAST, WHERE HE ACCOMPLISHED ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N217AF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.