What happened
The pilot flew the aircraft into a box canyon environment. During this phase of flight, the pilot attempted to either outclimb the surrounding terrain or reverse the course of the aircraft. To execute this maneuver, the airspeed was permitted to decrease below the stall speed (Vs). The aircraft subsequently stalled. At the time of the incident, the density altitude was approximately 9500 feet. This high density altitude condition significantly reduced the aircraft's performance capabilities.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight dynamics and environmental conditions present during the accident sequence. Key factors identified included the steep terrain of the box canyon and the elevated density altitude, which impaired the aircraft's ability to climb or maintain controlled flight at low speeds.
Findings
The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's decision to operate in a confined area with insufficient performance margins. The combination of high density altitude and low airspeed led to an aerodynamic stall. Insufficient altitude was available for the pilot to execute a recovery from the stall before impact with the terrain.