Incident Overview
A pilot conducted a brief touchdown in a small clearing that had previously been driven to by automobile. After touching down, the pilot lifted off and initiated a climbout. Two separate electrical power lines were located just inside a tree line very close to the touchdown point. The lower and much larger wires of the two power lines were obscured by trees from the touchdown point. The small upper (ground) wire was visible against a clear sky background from the touchdown point during the wreckage examination, but its visibility would have quickly diminished into a tree-covered background as the aircraft climbed. The larger wires, which were mounted lower on the poles, would have been more visible near the accident site; however, they too would have been somewhat obscured by the tree-covered background. The aircraft flew into the small upper wire and came to rest between the two power lines.
Sequence of Events
The pilot touched down briefly in a clearing previously accessed by automobile. Following the touchdown, the aircraft lifted off and began a climb. During the climbout, the aircraft struck the upper (ground) wire of the power lines. The lower, larger wires were obscured by trees from the touchdown point, while the upper wire was initially visible against the sky but became obscured against the tree background as the aircraft climbed. After striking the wire, the aircraft came to rest between the two power lines.