What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot and his passenger departed runway 18 at south lake tahoe airport (tvl) on a VFR flight to polo alto airport (pao). Prior to departure, the aircraft was fueled to capacity, 32 imperial gallons (38.4 us gallons). The pilot intended to follow highway 50 through the mountains; however, experienced difficulty in climbing from tvl. The pilot elected to circle over meyers, CA to gain sufficient altitude to pass-over echo summit. In conversation with the passenger, it was determined that during the circling climb, the pilot flew south of meyers even higher into the mountains. The passenger stated that the aircraft was unable to climb or maintain altitude and the aircraft struck a tree with the right wing. The aircraft came to rest inverted in a pasture.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER DEPARTED RUNWAY 18 AT SOUTH LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT (TVL) ON A VFR FLIGHT TO POLO ALTO AIRPORT (PAO). PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED TO CAPACITY, 32 IMPERIAL GALLONS (38.4 US GALLONS). THE PILOT INTENDED TO FOLLOW HIGHWAY 50 THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS; HOWEVER, EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN CLIMBING FROM TVL. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CIRCLE OVER MEYERS, CA TO GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO PASS-OVER ECHO SUMMIT. IN CONVERSATION WITH THE PASSENGER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT DURING THE CIRCLING CLIMB, THE PILOT FLEW SOUTH OF MEYERS EVEN HIGHER INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OR MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE WITH THE RIGHT WING. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED IN A PASTURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.