Accident Details
During a local flight in mountainous terrain, the airplane began to descend while the pilot was maneuvering. The pilot immediately applied full power in an attempt to climb, but the airplane continued to descend even when flown at the best rate of climb speed.
Pilot Response
In an effort to stop the descent, the pilot leveled the airplane. This caused the airspeed to rise, but the airplane had already descended below the level of the surrounding ridge line. Unable to climb back above the terrain, the pilot scouted for a location to perform an emergency landing.
Emergency Landing
The pilot selected an area for the emergency landing. During the descent toward that area, the airplane struck trees. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported in the investigation.