What happened
The flight originated in the late afternoon, prior to sunset. The student pilot conducted practice maneuvers in the immediate vicinity of the departure airport until darkness fell. Upon attempting to land on a private airstrip, the pilot executed two go-arounds.
During the second go-around maneuver, the aircraft struck an electrical wire. Following the impact, the plane continued flying for approximately one-quarter mile before colliding with a four-foot fence. The aircraft then traveled an additional quarter-mile, rolling up a small hill where it struck another fence and subsequently nosed over.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the collision. Evidence indicated that the pilot was operating under low-light conditions after sunset. The physical path of the aircraft confirmed a collision with an overhead electrical wire, followed by ground impacts with fencing structures.