What happened
The incident occurred while the pilot was executing a go-around following an aborted landing attempt. The aircraft was operating at a private airfield consisting of a sod runway that measured 2,400 feet in length and 50 feet in width. This specific strip was not certified for public use, which meant that standard obstruction warning data was not available to the crew.
During the climb-out phase from the departure end of the runway, the aircraft encountered unmarked power lines. The collision with these wires resulted in an immediate loss of control. Subsequently, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and collided with the terrain nearby.
The investigation
Investigation into the mechanical state of the aircraft was not detailed in the provided source text. However, the physical evidence pointed to the impact with the power lines as the primary event leading to the crash.
Findings
Several critical factors contributed to this accident. The most significant finding was that the runway used was a private, uncertified sod strip. Because of its non-certified status, there were no obstruction warnings available for the pilot regarding the power lines at the departure end.
Additionally, the pilot failed to report the runway identifier or heading during the operation, which may have hindered situational awareness. The presence of unmarked power lines at the departure path posed a severe hazard that was not mitigated by any signage or warning systems due to the nature of the airfield.