What happened
During the flight, the aircraft encountered a minor ridge where it collided with a fenceline located along the crest. During this initial contact, a concrete post caused significant damage to the port side of the tail section. Following this impact, the aircraft continued its trajectory at a lower altitude, leading the port wingtip to strike the terrain. This secondary impact forced the plane into a heavy, inverted position on the ground.
After hitting the surface, the aircraft slid approximately 100 feet (30 metres) before coming to a complete stop. A small fire ignited at the crash site but was short-lived and extinguished itself without further spread. The accident resulted in one fatality, involving the pilot.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the pilot attempted to traverse the ridge but failed to account for the climb performance limitations of the aircraft. At the moment of impact with the fenceline, the plane was experiencing a partial stall. The collision with the fence structure led to a total loss of control. Additionally, the lack of experience of the pilot was identified as a significant contributing factor to the accident.