What happened
During the initial climb phase following departure from runway 29 at Williamson County Airport, an aircraft experienced a total loss of engine power. The flight resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. The pilot sustained slight injuries during the accident.
Findings
Investigation into the incident identified several contributing factors related to the operation of the aircraft. The primary cause was determined to be fuel starvation, as the pilot admitted to mismanaging the fuel system and likely operating the engine on insufficient fuel levels.
Additionally, the investigation highlighted issues regarding preflight preparation and the pilot's physical condition. The pilot reported experiencing significant fatigue and a lack of sleep prior to the flight, noting that she should have notified her company that she was too tired to operate the aircraft safely. The sequence of events involved both the nonmechanical loss of engine power and the subsequent impact with vegetation.