Accident Details
The airplane was flying at 7,500 feet mean sea level (msl) in mountainous terrain that varied from 7,000 to 9,000 feet msl. The flight proceeded uneventfully until a passenger spotted an elk. The pilot then maneuvered the airplane into a slight left turn in an attempt to view the elk.
Flight Maneuvers
The turn directed the airplane into the entrance of a draw, where the terrain began to converge rapidly. The pilot applied full power and initiated a climb, but determined that the airplane could not clear the rising terrain. He also assessed that a 180-degree turn out of the draw was not possible. The pilot continued flying straight ahead, reducing airspeed as much as possible before colliding with trees.
Impact and Egress
The airplane struck the trees, rotated 90 degrees, and came to rest captured by the trees in a nose-down attitude. The pilot and three passengers egressed the airplane without difficulty. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine experienced no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.