What happened
The flight itinerary commenced at 0530 hours on the morning of the accident. The pilot had planned several stops at various airports across Arizona and New Mexico, including a long stopover at Page. In the evening, the pilot obtained a weather briefing and filed a flight plan for the return leg from Page to Tucson. The route was specified as V293 at an altitude of 8,500 feet MSL.
The aircraft struck trees on the north rim of the Grand Canyon at an altitude of 8,540 feet MSL. The accident site was located approximately two degrees off the center line of V293. A witness reported hearing strong engine sounds until impact and saw the aircraft's strobe and navigation lights approach in level flight before disappearing into the trees. An explosion and fireball were observed immediately after. The night was clear and dark with no moon. The VFR sectional lists 9,200 feet MSL as the minimum sector altitude for the accident area.
Findings
The aircraft operated below the minimum sector altitude of 9,200 feet MSL prescribed on the VFR sectional chart for the Grand Canyon north rim area. The pilot was flying at 8,500 feet MSL, which is significantly lower than the required minimum safe altitude for that terrain. The accident occurred in clear and dark conditions with no moonlight, reducing visibility of obstacles. The witness report indicates the aircraft was in level flight until impact, suggesting a controlled flight into terrain rather than a loss of control or mechanical failure.
Safety message
Pilots must strictly adhere to minimum sector altitudes depicted on VFR sectional charts, especially during night operations in mountainous terrain. Clear skies do not eliminate the risk of terrain collision when visibility is limited by darkness.