Deficient aircraft engine performance; high gross weight and ambient temperature conspire to limit A...

Narrative:

250 NM IFR cross country training flight (required by far 61.65) for instrument rating. Flew ZZZ1 to ZZZ via airways/vectors. Executed VOR and localizer back course approachs. Planned to refuel/re-file IFR back to ZZZ1. Only needed 5 gallons of fuel. FBO policy was either $15 landing fee; purchase 15 gallons fuel; or top tanks. Aa-1A only holds 22 gallons. About 90 degrees F outside air temperature. Engine ran hot on climb from ZZZ1; so we only wanted 5 gallons. Felt pressured to top off by FBO; so took on 9.6 gallons. Now at/slightly over maximum gross weight and near edge of performance envelope. Filed for 4000 ft and planned shallow climb. After takeoff; only made 2000 ft before engine oil temperature started toward red line. Asked departure to let us level at 2000 ft and then climb to 4000 ft later. Departure said unable to fly ZZZ to ZZZ2 at 2000 ft due to 2000 ft radio towers ahead. Asked for vector around towers. Departure gave us heading but advised we could not continue IFR unless we climbed to 3000 ft; otherwise we had to cancel and proceed VFR. Consulted with other pilot (aircraft owner) and both agreed we could not climb till we burned off some fuel. Reluctantly canceled IFR; which meant we had to re-accomplish the whole flight again; since far 61.55 requires 250 NM cross country under IFR. Asked for vector to ZZZ1. Departure control gave us vector around restr area. Reviewed the IFR chart again; and MEA was; as I thought; 2200 ft MSL (too low for a 2000 ft tower). I called departure and asked if I filed a new IFR flight plan back in system and cleared us as requested with direction to climb to 3000 ft when able. We were able to reach 3000 ft about 30 or so mi northeast of ZZZ2. After handoff to approach; asked for 3000 ft as final. We flew 3000 ft till about 30 mi south of ZZZ1 when ZZZ1 approach asked for climb to 4000 ft for terrain -- a mystery; as MEA was 2500 ft. We said we'd try to climb but not might make 4000 ft. Controller said stay at 3000 ft; which we held all the way to GS intercept for ILS. 2 lessons: 1) don't let the FBO control your fuel load; and 2) keep working with ATC for a solution. Fortunately; the controller decided to help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEFICIENT ACFT ENGINE PERFORMANCE; HIGH GROSS WEIGHT AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE CONSPIRE TO LIMIT AA5 FLT CREW'S ABILITY TO OBTAIN REQUIRED IFR ALTITUDES.

Narrative: 250 NM IFR XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT (REQUIRED BY FAR 61.65) FOR INST RATING. FLEW ZZZ1 TO ZZZ VIA AIRWAYS/VECTORS. EXECUTED VOR AND LOC BACK COURSE APCHS. PLANNED TO REFUEL/RE-FILE IFR BACK TO ZZZ1. ONLY NEEDED 5 GALLONS OF FUEL. FBO POLICY WAS EITHER $15 LNDG FEE; PURCHASE 15 GALLONS FUEL; OR TOP TANKS. AA-1A ONLY HOLDS 22 GALLONS. ABOUT 90 DEGS F OUTSIDE AIR TEMP. ENG RAN HOT ON CLB FROM ZZZ1; SO WE ONLY WANTED 5 GALLONS. FELT PRESSURED TO TOP OFF BY FBO; SO TOOK ON 9.6 GALLONS. NOW AT/SLIGHTLY OVER MAX GROSS WT AND NEAR EDGE OF PERFORMANCE ENVELOPE. FILED FOR 4000 FT AND PLANNED SHALLOW CLB. AFTER TKOF; ONLY MADE 2000 FT BEFORE ENG OIL TEMP STARTED TOWARD RED LINE. ASKED DEP TO LET US LEVEL AT 2000 FT AND THEN CLB TO 4000 FT LATER. DEP SAID UNABLE TO FLY ZZZ TO ZZZ2 AT 2000 FT DUE TO 2000 FT RADIO TWRS AHEAD. ASKED FOR VECTOR AROUND TWRS. DEP GAVE US HDG BUT ADVISED WE COULD NOT CONTINUE IFR UNLESS WE CLBED TO 3000 FT; OTHERWISE WE HAD TO CANCEL AND PROCEED VFR. CONSULTED WITH OTHER PLT (ACFT OWNER) AND BOTH AGREED WE COULD NOT CLB TILL WE BURNED OFF SOME FUEL. RELUCTANTLY CANCELED IFR; WHICH MEANT WE HAD TO RE-ACCOMPLISH THE WHOLE FLT AGAIN; SINCE FAR 61.55 REQUIRES 250 NM XCOUNTRY UNDER IFR. ASKED FOR VECTOR TO ZZZ1. DEP CTL GAVE US VECTOR AROUND RESTR AREA. REVIEWED THE IFR CHART AGAIN; AND MEA WAS; AS I THOUGHT; 2200 FT MSL (TOO LOW FOR A 2000 FT TWR). I CALLED DEP AND ASKED IF I FILED A NEW IFR FLT PLAN BACK IN SYS AND CLRED US AS REQUESTED WITH DIRECTION TO CLB TO 3000 FT WHEN ABLE. WE WERE ABLE TO REACH 3000 FT ABOUT 30 OR SO MI NE OF ZZZ2. AFTER HDOF TO APCH; ASKED FOR 3000 FT AS FINAL. WE FLEW 3000 FT TILL ABOUT 30 MI S OF ZZZ1 WHEN ZZZ1 APCH ASKED FOR CLB TO 4000 FT FOR TERRAIN -- A MYSTERY; AS MEA WAS 2500 FT. WE SAID WE'D TRY TO CLB BUT NOT MIGHT MAKE 4000 FT. CTLR SAID STAY AT 3000 FT; WHICH WE HELD ALL THE WAY TO GS INTERCEPT FOR ILS. 2 LESSONS: 1) DON'T LET THE FBO CTL YOUR FUEL LOAD; AND 2) KEEP WORKING WITH ATC FOR A SOLUTION. FORTUNATELY; THE CTLR DECIDED TO HELP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Attributes
ACN	741611
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Yankee
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	741611
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Deficient aircraft engine performance; high gross weight and ambient temperature conspire to limit AA5 flight crew's ability to obtain required IFR altitudes.