Incident Overview
A pilot reported that while flying in an area of mountainous rising terrain, the airplane impacted a series of trees at the top of a hill, followed by ground impact. The pilot described the sequence of events and decisions made prior to the accident.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, during flight in mountainous rising terrain, the decision was made to initiate a climb because the terrain appeared to be rising quickly. However, the airplane was not performing well during the climb due to high density altitude. The pilot noted that a turn was not considered an option because the airplane was surrounded by valley. Consequently, the pilot elected to continue straight flight without losing any additional airspeed, which led to the impact with a series of trees at the top of the hill and subsequent ground impact.
Environmental Conditions
The accident site was located at an elevation of 4,200 feet above sea level. The density altitude at that location was calculated to be 6,861 feet.
Outcome
The pilot reported that the airplane impacted the trees and then the ground. No further details regarding the condition of the airplane or occupants were provided in the report.