A 42-year-old man is found dead in his bedroom by his wife. The body is suspended by a nylon rope from a ceiling fan. On external examination, there is a ligature mark on the neck that is oblique, running upward toward the angle of the jaw on one side and downward on the opposite side. The mark is incomplete, not encircling the entire neck. The face shows marked congestion and cyanosis. Petechial hemorrhages are visible on the eyelids and conjunctivae. What is the most likely mechanism of death in this case?