Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during the takeoff initial climb, he was disturbed by the flicker effect of the propeller illuminated by the landing light. To eliminate the distraction, he leaned to the right and reached down to turn off the light. The pilot noted that the switch labels were difficult to see, causing him to spend an unknown but excessive amount of time ensuring he would turn off the correct lights. When he looked up, the aircraft had already collided with the ground.
Environmental Conditions
FAA inspectors confirmed that there were no ground reference lights along the departure path. The night was dark with no moon, further reducing visibility.
Pilot Actions
The pilot's focus on locating and operating the light switch diverted his attention from flying the aircraft. The lack of external visual references likely contributed to his inability to recognize the aircraft's proximity to the ground before impact.