What happened
The flight was conducted as a sightseeing tour covering Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the western rim of the Grand Canyon. Prior to reaching the Grand Canyon area, the aircraft was scheduled to traverse a ridge at an altitude of 5,500 feet mean sea level (MSL). During the operation, the helicopter descended into a three-sided canyon and made contact with a juniper tree located at the bottom of the terrain at an elevation of 5,020 feet MSL.
The investigation
Following the incident, investigators conducted a thorough examination of the helicopter to determine if equipment failure contributed to the accident. The inspection focused on the airframe and propulsion systems. The analysis failed to disclose any mechanical failure or malfunction that would have prevented the pilot from controlling the aircraft or maintaining altitude.
Findings
The primary factor in this event was the aircraft's descent into terrain below the planned route. The flight path took the helicopter into a confined area where obstacles were present at lower elevations than the intended ridge crossing. The lack of mechanical issues indicates that the accident was likely due to spatial disorientation or navigation error rather than equipment failure.