What happened
During the initial climb phase following takeoff, the aircraft experienced a loss of power. Witnesses at the scene reported hearing the engines backfiring and observing smoke trailing from the plane. The aircraft's ground roll was noted to be significantly longer than normal before liftoff.
As the flight progressed immediately after takeoff, the aircraft struck the tops of several pine trees. Following this impact, the visible smoke and engine backfiring ceased, and the aircraft began a descent toward a nearby street. The pilot attempted to maneuver the plane to avoid hitting vehicles on the roadway. During the subsequent forced landing, the aircraft collided with a utility pole and a large tree.
Findings
Investigations into the right engine's spark plugs revealed that, at the time of the accident, only the #5 front plug was failing to produce a spark. However, during later testing, all spark plugs except for the #5 plug functioned correctly. A thorough teardown of the engine was conducted, but the inspection found no evidence of mechanical failure or any discrepancies occurring prior to the impact. The official investigation concluded that the primary cause of the event was an in-flight collision with objects, specifically trees and a utility pole.