What happened
The pilot received weather briefings both the day before the accident and 90 minutes prior to departure. The flight departed under visual flight rules (VFR) in conditions where fog was present at the departure end of the runway, with visibility lower than at the approach end, as noted by a witness.
Immediately after takeoff, the aircraft entered the fog while maintaining a wings-level, gear-down configuration. During this period, the pilot contacted air traffic control to request instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. The communication lasted approximately 25 seconds before the right wing struck a tree located roughly 1 nautical mile from the departure end of the runway at an altitude of about 29 feet above ground level. Following this impact, the airplane collided with a power line and subsequently struck the ground. There were no fatalities reported in this accident.
The investigation
Investigators performed a sound analysis of the engine performance, which indicated that each propeller was operating at approximately full rated RPM during the three separate instances of radio communication. A mechanical examination of the engines, propellers, flight control systems, vacuum system, and instruments showed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.