Accident Overview
A personal cross-country flight departed from Phoenix, Arizona, en route to Sedona, Arizona. Radar data showed the aircraft maintaining altitudes between 8,400 and 8,300 feet mean sea level (msl) until approximately three miles north of exit 278 on Arizona Highway 17. At that point, the airplane began descending at about 500 feet per minute. The last radar contact recorded the aircraft at 5,200 feet msl, roughly nine miles southwest of Sedona Airport.
Discovery of Wreckage
When the aircraft failed to arrive at its intended destination, concerned family members notified the Federal Aviation Administration, prompting a search. The wreckage was not located and positively identified for another 31 months. Investigators found the debris at the eastern end of a steep, narrow canyon at approximately 6,200 feet msl, about 10.5 miles northwest of Sedona Airport.
Site Examination
At the accident site, evidence indicated the airplane struck mature conifer trees growing along the canyon walls, which sloped at 60 degrees or steeper. The aircraft came to rest against a rock wall. A postcrash fire was evident.
Mechanical Inspection
Complete inspections of the airframe, engine, and propeller revealed no clear evidence of any malfunction or anomaly that would lead to a loss of engine power or control of the aircraft's flight path or attitude.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were reported as clear skies with calm wind. The approximate density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be between 7,000 and 7,400 feet.