Real-World Takeoff Performance

1) A Piper PA-32R-300 Lance attempted to take off from a 3200-foot-long grass runway on a June morning with flaps retracted. It lifted off at the end of the runway, then descended into a shallow valley, touched down and lifted off a second time, before settling back to the ground and colliding with a barbed-wire fence. It was later determined to have been 188 pounds over its maximum gross weight with its center of gravity 0.15 inches aft of limits. Density altitude was about 1800 feet above field elevation.

David Jack Kenny

Thursday, July 26, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Many aviation accidents, particularly fatal ones, result from pilots misunderstanding their aircraft's takeoff performance capabilities and failing to adequately account for variables like weight, density altitude, and runway conditions.
Aircraft POH performance figures are often optimistic, derived from ideal test conditions and expert pilots, requiring real-world pilots to apply conservative "fudge factors" and precisely adhere to manufacturer-specified procedures and configurations.
Pilots should conduct personal flight tests across various conditions to accurately determine their aircraft's actual performance, establish realistic safety margins, and refine technique, especially when POH data is incomplete or for modified aircraft.
At higher density altitudes, indicated airspeeds for takeoff and climb remain consistent, but corresponding groundspeeds are higher, and climb angles are shallower; pilots must resist the dangerous instinct to pitch up to achieve a more familiar sight picture.