What happened
The flight originated from Marble Canyon Airport in Marble Canyon, Arizona, with the objective of transporting passengers under 14 CFR Part 135 regulations. The destination was the Grand Canyon Bar Ten Airstrip (1Z1), a remote facility characterized by a single dirt runway.
Upon reaching the airstrip, the pilot initiated a low-altitude approach to assess the condition of the landing surface. Flying at approximately 20 feet above ground level and heading south, the pilot scanned the runway for potential obstacles such as livestock or potholes. Upon reaching the southern end of the strip, the pilot executed a right climbing turn of 90 degrees, ascending to roughly 400 feet AGL. This was immediately followed by a left descending turn of 270 degrees.
During this maneuvering phase, the aircraft entered a stall and subsequently collided with the terrain. Ground witnesses corroborated the pilot's description of the flight path and the sequence of events. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical issues or engine difficulties prior to the loss of control.