PA28-140 pilot was unable to climb or stay airborne after takeoff at a high density altitude airport...

Attributes
ACN	517421
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 48v.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 5800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	517421
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I took off from 48V airport, climbed to 5800 ft, retracted flaps and descended into a wheat field. Pushed plane into road, passenger departed airplane and went back to 48V. I took off from road, proceeded to 48V, picked up passenger. Took off from 48V again without trouble, and proceeded home. Cause: high altitude. I retracted flaps too soon, and didn't put the flaps down again when we started descending (dumb). There was no damage to airplane, pilot or passenger. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot was flying a piper PA28 cherokee with an O-320 engine. Pilot was never able to get speed enough for a minimum drag climb. The forced landing occurred within 3 mi of the takeoff airport. Pilot stated the density altitude was approximately 8700 ft. The aircraft was within 200 pounds of maximum gross weight. Maintenance chkout was unable to find any problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28-140 PLT WAS UNABLE TO CLB OR STAY AIRBORNE AFTER TKOF AT A HIGH DENSITY ALT ARPT.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM 48V ARPT, CLBED TO 5800 FT, RETRACTED FLAPS AND DSNDED INTO A WHEAT FIELD. PUSHED PLANE INTO ROAD, PAX DEPARTED AIRPLANE AND WENT BACK TO 48V. I TOOK OFF FROM ROAD, PROCEEDED TO 48V, PICKED UP PAX. TOOK OFF FROM 48V AGAIN WITHOUT TROUBLE, AND PROCEEDED HOME. CAUSE: HIGH ALT. I RETRACTED FLAPS TOO SOON, AND DIDN'T PUT THE FLAPS DOWN AGAIN WHEN WE STARTED DSNDING (DUMB). THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO AIRPLANE, PLT OR PAX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT WAS FLYING A PIPER PA28 CHEROKEE WITH AN O-320 ENG. PLT WAS NEVER ABLE TO GET SPD ENOUGH FOR A MINIMUM DRAG CLB. THE FORCED LNDG OCCURRED WITHIN 3 MI OF THE TKOF ARPT. PLT STATED THE DENSITY ALT WAS APPROX 8700 FT. THE ACFT WAS WITHIN 200 LBS OF MAX GROSS WT. MAINT CHKOUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY PROBS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.