What happened
During a dawn departure in foggy conditions, the aircraft struck electrical transmission wires approximately one mile from the runway's end. The collision occurred on an extended line positioned roughly 50 degrees to the left of the runway centerline. The impact caused significant structural damage, including a breach in the left main wing tip fuel tank, damage to the top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder, and the separation of part of the windscreen. Following the wire strike, the aircraft remained airborne for approximately 20 minutes before striking a heavily wooded area in a steep, right wing-down attitude.
Findings
Post-impact fire prevented a definitive assessment of engine performance, system discrepancies, or specific damage to the left propeller. However, witness accounts suggested the left engine may have been non-functional following the initial contact with the wires. While the impact attitude did not align with a standard loss of control caused by a single engine failure, investigators noted that the aircraft's trim, fuel tank selection, and throttle settings could indicate that the pilot was unable to respond to the emergency. The operator also suggested that an improper autopilot trim setting might have caused an uncommanded nose pitch down when the system was engaged during the climb. The crash occurred in a densely forested area, despite the surrounding terrain being relatively flat and free of tall obstacles.