Incident Overview
According to the pilot-in-command, the purpose of the flight was to fly over one of his passenger's farms. The pilot stated that the flight was conducted at a low level.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that as the airplane approached the accident location, something fell off the dashboard. He leaned forward and down to identify what it was. As he leaned down, he apparently forced the yoke forward, lowering the attitude of the aircraft. When he looked up, it was too late—the trees were right in front of him. He applied back pressure on the elevator, but again it was too late, and the airplane struck the trees.
Post-Strike Actions
Despite the collision, the pilot stated that the aircraft still was able to climb and that tree branches were hanging on the wing. He noticed that the elevator had limited deflection and decided to make a precautionary landing in a nearby field.
Damage
Post-accident investigation showed substantial damage to the right wing spar, elevator, and vertical stabilizer.