Flight Details
Two passengers chartered aircraft N8266U for a local sightseeing flight. The charter pilot, a certified flight instructor (CFI), discovered that one of the passengers was also a pilot and allowed that passenger to fly the aircraft.
Sequence of Events
The passenger-pilot expressed interest in spotting elk and flew the aircraft into a canyon, descending below the ridge line. As the aircraft approached the end of the canyon, the passenger-pilot executed a left turn. During the turn, the back-seat passenger reported hearing the stall warning horn sound. The CFI then took control of the aircraft but was unable to recover before the aircraft collided with trees.
Terrain and Performance
The terrain in the canyon area rises to above 10,000 feet. The calculated climb rate of the aircraft was determined to be approximately 200 feet per minute under the existing conditions.