What happened
The pilot was conducting a takeoff operation utilizing runway 27. During the initial phase of the climb-out, the pilot reported maintaining visual focus on the airspeed indicator to monitor performance parameters. In doing so, the pilot failed to notice that the aircraft had drifted laterally to the right of the intended flight path.
This lateral deviation resulted in the right wing making contact with trees along the departure path. Following the impact, the airplane settled into a wooded area nearby. At the time of the incident, a weather reporting facility located 14 nautical miles to the southeast reported wind conditions from 190 degrees at 14 knots, with gusts reaching 20 knots.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the critical takeoff phase. Examination of the event revealed that while the pilot was attentive to vertical performance metrics such as airspeed, situational awareness regarding lateral position was compromised. The mechanical condition of the aircraft prior to the impact was not cited as a factor in the deviation.
Findings
The primary finding indicates that the pilot's failure to maintain proper track during the initial climb led to the collision with terrain obstacles. Contributing factors included the distraction caused by monitoring instruments rather than external visual references, and potentially the crosswind conditions reported nearby.