Accident Overview
On October 22, 1988, deer hunters discovered the wreckage of an aircraft in a box canyon at an elevation of 8,400 feet. The pilot had previously obtained a weather briefing and filed a VFR flight plan from Burley, Idaho, to Chandler, Arizona, with an en route refueling stop at Fillmore, Utah.
Refueling and Departure
The pilot landed on a dirt road near Fillmore and taxied the aircraft to a roadside truck stop, where the aircraft was serviced with auto gas. The pilot then departed Fillmore but did not arrive at the intended destination. A Civil Air Patrol (CAP) search yielded negative results.
Crash Site and Wreckage
The accident site was located in a box canyon. Investigators determined that the aircraft clipped the top of a 30-foot pine tree and subsequently crashed against a creek embankment while on a magnetic heading of 360 degrees. After impact, the wreckage slid down the embankment and came to rest inverted in the middle of a creek bed. An intense but confined fire occurred following the impact.
Performance Considerations
At the estimated density altitude of 11,000 feet, the aircraft's computed rate of climb was 270 feet per minute.
Pilot’s Remarks
Before the flight, the pilot had mentioned to his wife that he might take his son sightseeing on the trip home.