What happened
During the cruise phase of flight, the pilot observed a white flash appearing on the right side of the forward windscreen, accompanied by a distinct thumping sound. This event occurred while the pilot was looking out the left side of the cockpit. Immediately following this impact, the aircraft type entered an uncontrollable descent and began to yaw toward the right.
Despite the sudden loss of altitude, the engine remained operational and continued to run smoothly. The pilot attempted to compensate for the descent by advancing the engine power controls, but these adjustments failed to stabilize the aircraft or arrest the downward trajectory. The aircraft ultimately crashed in an area characterized by tall, white birch trees.
Findings
An investigation conducted by the NTSB investigator in charge yielded no physical evidence of a bird strike at the crash site. While the pilot expressed uncertainty regarding the nature of the object struck, suggesting the possibility of a collision with a tree, the investigation focused on the visual and auditory cues reported during the flight. The unidentified impact served as the primary catalyst for the subsequent loss of control.