What happened
On 29 July 2018, a Piper PA28-161 Warrior II was attempting to depart from a cut hay field located near Black Diamond, Alberta. The aircraft was being operated privately at the time of the incident. As the aircraft began its takeoff roll, it struck hay bales situated in the field. The impact caused the aircraft to be destroyed following a fire that broke out after the collision.
There were two occupants on board the aircraft during the accident. One person sustained fatal injuries, while the other person suffered serious injuries.
The investigation
The TSB conducted a Class 4 investigation into the collision. The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the aircraft striking the obstacles during the departure phase from the unpaved field.