Narrative:

I had recently purchased the PA28-140 and was flying from arkansas to alaska for a summer flying job. A fuel stop was made in gillette. The conditions at gillette were gusty winds with a temperature of 69 degrees F. The density altitude was calculated to be near 6000 ft. With the airplane being near gross weight, the runway distance was adequate for a takeoff over a 50 ft obstacle and the rate of climb determined to be between 300-400 FPM. The airplane engine and all system checked normal prior to takeoff. After takeoff clearance from gcc tower, I set the throttle to full forward and leaned the mixture for maximum performance. The airplane accelerated slowly, but reached liftoff speed (which I delayed until 80 mph due to the gusty winds). The airplane lifted off as I expected considering the conditions and I anticipated a normal climb out. At the end of the runway, as the airplane was climbing through approximately 100-200 ft, I felt the airplane begin to sink. I tried various speeds and mixture settings trying to enhance the performance. Each time the airplane began to climb, it would then begin a descent. With rising terrain ahead, I opted to make a precautionary landing rather then risk impact with rising terrain or power lines. The landing was normal with no damage or injuries. I surmise that with the original performance coupled with the loss of lift caused by the wind gusts, the total performance of the airplane was questionable. A successful takeoff was made the following day under similar conditions except that the wind was less gusty. My recommendation would be to do what I did -- make a precautionary landing if in doubt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ENG PWR PROB ON TKOF UNABLE TO CLB. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE PA28-140 AND WAS FLYING FROM ARKANSAS TO ALASKA FOR A SUMMER FLYING JOB. A FUEL STOP WAS MADE IN GILLETTE. THE CONDITIONS AT GILLETTE WERE GUSTY WINDS WITH A TEMP OF 69 DEGS F. THE DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE NEAR 6000 FT. WITH THE AIRPLANE BEING NEAR GROSS WT, THE RWY DISTANCE WAS ADEQUATE FOR A TKOF OVER A 50 FT OBSTACLE AND THE RATE OF CLB DETERMINED TO BE BTWN 300-400 FPM. THE AIRPLANE ENG AND ALL SYS CHKED NORMAL PRIOR TO TKOF. AFTER TKOF CLRNC FROM GCC TWR, I SET THE THROTTLE TO FULL FORWARD AND LEANED THE MIXTURE FOR MAX PERFORMANCE. THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED SLOWLY, BUT REACHED LIFTOFF SPD (WHICH I DELAYED UNTIL 80 MPH DUE TO THE GUSTY WINDS). THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AS I EXPECTED CONSIDERING THE CONDITIONS AND I ANTICIPATED A NORMAL CLBOUT. AT THE END OF THE RWY, AS THE AIRPLANE WAS CLBING THROUGH APPROX 100-200 FT, I FELT THE AIRPLANE BEGIN TO SINK. I TRIED VARIOUS SPDS AND MIXTURE SETTINGS TRYING TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE. EACH TIME THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO CLB, IT WOULD THEN BEGIN A DSCNT. WITH RISING TERRAIN AHEAD, I OPTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG RATHER THEN RISK IMPACT WITH RISING TERRAIN OR PWR LINES. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES. I SURMISE THAT WITH THE ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE COUPLED WITH THE LOSS OF LIFT CAUSED BY THE WIND GUSTS, THE TOTAL PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS QUESTIONABLE. A SUCCESSFUL TKOF WAS MADE THE FOLLOWING DAY UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS EXCEPT THAT THE WIND WAS LESS GUSTY. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO DO WHAT I DID -- MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IF IN DOUBT.

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.