What happened
During the takeoff phase, an aircraft utilized a significant portion of the available runway before reaching an altitude of roughly 60 feet. In an attempt to clear an embankment, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft upward; however, the plane subsequently collided with a tall palm tree. The impact caused the aircraft to crash in an area between two roads near a junction where the roadways merge.
The accident resulted in one fatality and one injury. Following the event, investigators removed the cargo from the aircraft to perform weight calculations. These assessments revealed that the aircraft's load exceeded its maximum allowable gross weight by approximately 1,928 lbs. There were no signs of mechanical malfunction or structural failure prior to the impact.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors related to the pilot's actions and the aircraft's configuration. The primary issues included inadequate preflight planning and preparation by the pilot in command. Additionally, the aircraft was operated in a state where its weight and balance limits were exceeded. The sequence of events involved an in-flight collision with an object (a tree) during the initial climb, followed by an uncontrolled descent resulting in a collision with the terrain.