What happened
The flight originated from an airport situated within a mountain valley at an elevation of 2,614 feet. The aircraft was generally directed toward a saddle pass located approximately one mile northwest of the departure point, which sat at an elevation of 6,500 feet. The surrounding mountain peaks averaged about 7,000 feet mean sea level.
During the climb phase, the flight encountered updrafts until reaching an altitude of 6,800 feet near the pass. At this point, the aircraft experienced a strong downdraft and windshear. The pilot reported that the aircraft failed to respond even with full power application. The descent could not be arrested before the aircraft collided with trees.
The investigation
No mechanical examination was recorded in the source material. The investigation focused on flight conditions and pilot actions.
Findings
The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing prior to the flight. Forecasts indicated strong winds aloft at 6,000 and 9,000 feet, along with downdrafts, windshears, and moderate turbulence in mountain areas.