What happened
During a personal flight, the pilot attempted to depart from a private fly-in community airport. At the time of departure, fog was moving through the valley, a common occurrence at this location. Witnesses observed the aircraft lift off the runway with its landing gear still extended. As the plane drifted toward the left, it entered the thick fog and became obscured from view. Observers reported that the engine sounded normal during the initial climb, but they subsequently heard two separate loud noises occurring several seconds apart.
Following the sounds, individuals at the airport searched the departure end of the runway but were unable to locate the wreckage or any signs of fire due to the low visibility. The aircraft was eventually located in a heavily forested area on terrain approximately 1,500 feet north of the runway's departure end. The crash site sat at an elevation roughly 250 feet higher than the airport. A path of broken treetops leading to the main debris field suggested the aircraft maintained a relatively level flight path until impact.
Findings
An investigation of the engine and airframe showed no signs of mechanical failure or prior malfunction. Meteorological analysis indicated the airport was situated on the periphery of a low-cloud layer. The area is characterized by mountainous terrain in all directions, and the aircraft's flight path took it into elevated, wooded surroundings during the period of fog.