Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182L near Sedona, AZ — 2014-07-20

Final reportWPR14FA303
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Date
2014-07-20
Location
Sedona, AZ, USA
Airport
SEZ
Aircraft
CESSNA 182L
Registration
N42474
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
4
Phase of flight
Descent

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance the airplane’s critical angle-of attack while maneuvering through a canyon in high-density altitude conditions at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. A witness reported observing the airplane flying into a canyon from above the tree line near the top of the canyon. Another witness, who did not see the airplane, reported hearing the airplane's engine accelerate, become quiet, and accelerate again, which was followed shortly thereafter by an explosion. The airplane impacted terrain at the bottom of a canyon and was destroyed. A postcrash examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies what would have precluded normal operation. It is likely the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack while entering the canyon, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall from which there was insufficient altitude to recover. In addition, the calculated density altitude of 9,675 ft would have adversely affected the airplane's performance.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided flying into the canyon at low altitude.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

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