What happened
The aircraft collided with trees shortly after departing the airport. Before the flight began, the pilot was informed that the lock cylinder for the cabin door was broken. As the plane climbed to an altitude of 1800 feet, the cabin door suddenly popped open. The pilot engaged the autopilot and tried to secure the door but reported experiencing an electrical failure at that moment. A 180-degree turn was executed in an effort to return to the airport. After spotting lights that the pilot believed were runway lights, he attempted to set up for a landing while trying to keep the door shut. The aircraft then stalled and hit trees. Ground witnesses noted heavy rain and fog in the area at the time.
Findings
Contributing factors included heavy rain and fog which likely obscured visual references, and an electrical failure that occurred after the cabin door opened. The pilot's attempt to manage the door while navigating back to the airport under poor weather conditions led to a stall.