What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While flying south along an ascending ridgeline at 8000 MSL at a speed of 55 knots, the aircraft lost lift. The aircraft had sink of 6 knots. The pilot turned the aircraft into a right bank angle to gain distance from the terrain at which point the right wing tip made contact with a tree, spinning the aircraft to the right before crashing into mountainous terrain.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE FLYING SOUTH ALONG AN ASCENDING RIDGELINE AT 8000 MSL AT A SPEED OF 55 KNOTS, THE AIRCRAFT LOST LIFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SINK OF 6 KNOTS. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A RIGHT BANK ANGLE TO GAIN DISTANCE FROM THE TERRAIN AT WHICH POINT THE RIGHT WING TIP MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE, SPINNING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT BEFORE CRASHING INTO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.