North Buffalo Suburban Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lockport, New York 14094
Tuesady, August 5, 2008 10:00 EDT

Prior to departing for a 1,175-nautical-mile cross-country flight, the pilot filled all of the airplane's fuel tanks, for a total of 90 gallons of fuel. The pilot did not note any abnormalities during the engine run-up and magneto check, and proceeded to depart from the 2,830-foot-long runway. About the mid-point of the runway, during the takeoff, the pilot stated that "something didn't feel right," and that the engine did not seem as if it were "making full power." He lifted the airplane off the runway at 65 knots indicated airspeed and the airplane acted like it "was going to go." The airplane then settled back onto the runway. The pilot then lifted the airplane off the runway a second time, and retracted the landing gear. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that the engine was losing power. The airplane was heading toward trees that were located at the end of the runway, and the pilot elected to veer off the left side of the runway toward a road. The airplane impacted several objects before coming to rest about 150 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Examination of the engine did not reveal evidence of any mechanical abnormalities. The pilot stated that he had not performed weight and balance, or takeoff distance calculations, prior to the accident flight. The estimated weight of the airplane for the takeoff was 341 pounds greater than the airplane's maximum gross weight of 2,750 pounds, and the calculated center of gravity was 1/2-inch aft of the maximum limit.

A partial loss of engine power, as reported by the pilot, for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and the overweight condition of the airplane.