Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary LAX85LA405

GRAND CANYON, AZ, USA

Aircraft #1

N6566H

PIPER J3 C-65

Analysis

AFTER DEPARTING PIERCE FERRY, AZ THE PLT AND HIS PASSENGER FLEW EAST, UP THE COLORADO RIVER, AT A LOW LEVEL TOWARDS KANAB POINT. THE PLT'S NOTES AND CHARTS SHOW THAT THE FLT WAS TO TURN NORTH FOR APRX 40 NM, WITH A REFUELING STOP AT KANAB, UT. THE BRIGHT YELLOW ACFT WAS LAST OBSERVED, BY HELICOPTER TOUR PLTS, LOW IN THE CANYON, HEADING EAST APRX 10 NMEAST OF KANAB POINT. A FLT PLAN WAS NOT FILED AND NO ONE WAS AWARE OF THE MISSING ACFT. THE PLT'S FAMILY NOTIFIED FAA PERSONNEL THE ACFT WAS MISSING FOUR DAYS AFTER IT'S FATAL FLT. AN UNSUCCESFUL AERIAL SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED. A MILITARY HELICOPTER LOCATED THE MISSING WRECKAGE IN A NARROW CANYON APRX 3 NM EAST OF THE POINT AT WHICH IT WAS LAST SEEN 13 DAYS AFTER IT CRASHED INTO THE CANYON WALL.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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