What happened
An instructor pilot and a dual student were engaged in flight training maneuvers involving touch-and-go landings. The purpose of the flight was to facilitate a tail-dragger transition for a Spanish foreign national prior to the commencement of an agricultural spray school.
After departing the airport, the aircraft was observed maneuvering at a low altitude approximately three statute miles southeast of the airfield. During these maneuvers, the right wing leading edge of the aircraft struck the upper branches of a 35-foot-high pecan tree. Debris from the tree and portions of the right wing were found along the flight path below the tree canopy. Upon impact with the ground, the fuel tank ruptured, leading to a post-impact fire that completely consumed the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation into the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions regarding either the airframe or the powerplant.