Accident Overview
A certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were conducting a round-robin cross-country flight when the aircraft was reported overdue. The wreckage was discovered the following day at the 8,500-foot level in a box canyon approximately one-quarter mile wide.
Witness Observations
A witness near the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying "up a canyon quite slow and low" before the accident.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted trees and steep terrain in a near-vertical, nose-low, right-wing-low attitude. The terrain in the vicinity of the accident site rises to over 11,000 feet.
Mechanical Examination
No evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane, engine, or propeller was found.
Environmental Conditions
The density altitude at the accident location was calculated to be 10,278 feet.