Dave Butler wrote:

After looking at the scene more closely, I realize it must have been:
break off some trees
break off some more trees
hit the ground, dig a big trench and bounce
break off tree by waters edge
cartwheel into the pond.

Even after hitting the ground and digging a big trench, it still had
enough momentum to tip the tree by the pond by 30 degrees or so and
break off the roots.

That's what I gathered from the report itself -- it sounded like the plane
hit the trees at a fairly high speed. That makes it seem unlikely that it
was a forced landing, but as you mentioned in a part of your posting I
didn't quote, we'll know more when the tapes come out.

Have you had your own plane up since the accident? I know that it would
probably be hard for me to get back in the first time if I'd seen the
aftermath of something like that.


All the best,


David