What happened
The aircraft operator had previously accessed a small, unpaved clearing by automobile. Upon arrival, the pilot initiated a takeoff sequence from this location. The aircraft achieved brief contact with the ground before lifting off and beginning its climbout phase.
During the ascent, the aircraft encountered two separate electrical power lines situated just inside an adjacent tree line. The lower, larger wires of these lines were obscured from the takeoff point by the surrounding foliage. While a smaller upper ground wire was visible against the sky during post-accident examination, its visibility would have been significantly reduced against the tree-covered background as the aircraft gained altitude.
The aircraft collided with the small upper wire and subsequently came to rest in the space between the two power line poles.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage site confirmed the location of the power lines relative to the takeoff point. Investigators noted that while the larger lower wires were positioned closer to the ground, they were partially hidden by trees. The smaller upper wire, though visible from the ground during inspection, presented a difficult visual target for the pilot during the initial climb due to the background contrast.
Findings
The primary factor in this incident was the collision with an overhead power line during the initial climbout phase. The takeoff location provided limited visibility of the lower wires due to tree cover, and the upper wire became difficult to discern against the background as the aircraft climbed.