What happened
The pilot was operating an aircraft over unfamiliar terrain at a low altitude with the primary objective of spotting elk. During this phase of flight, the pilot encountered steep, rising topography that presented a significant obstacle. The environmental conditions at the time of the incident resulted in a density altitude of approximately 7,500 feet, which likely impacted aircraft performance capabilities.
The investigation
The aircraft was unable to out-climb the rising terrain. As the situation became critical, the pilot initiated a forced landing procedure on a clearing. During this maneuver, the aircraft's left wing struck a tree stump. The impact caused the aircraft to flip inverted.
Findings
Contributing factors included the operation over unfamiliar terrain and the high density altitude which reduced climb performance. The specific causal event was the inability to clear the steep rising terrain followed by the ground contact with the tree stump during the forced landing attempt.