What happened
On May 29, 2009, at approximately 0855 mountain daylight time, an experimental/exhibition Storch Aviation Australia SS-MK4, registration N2898J, collided with power lines in a canyon near Boulder, Utah. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91.
Earlier that morning, the pilot had completed a sightseeing flight with a passenger, which included flying at altitudes between 200 and 300 feet above ground level through local canyons. Following that flight, the pilot landed at a private airstrip 10 miles north of the accident site. Approximately 15 minutes later, the pilot departed again, this time carrying a second passenger.
Witnesses at the Calf Creek Campground reported seeing the airplane flying at a "very low" altitude within the canyon on a southbound heading just before the accident. At the same time, a deputy sheriff reported a power outage in the area. The aircraft came to rest against a highway bridge abutment at the confluence of Calf Creek and the Escalante River. The impact resulted in 2 fatal injuries, as both the pilot and the passenger died from blunt force injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and both wings. The left wing leading edge slats showed two diagonal gouges that matched the profile of power transmission wire windings. Five power transmission cables straddle the top of the canyon east of the accident site, and two of these cables were found severed at midspan.
An examination of the engine, airframe, and flight control systems showed no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the impact. Additionally, toxicological analysis of the pilot's specimens showed no findings for drugs, alcohol, carbon monoxide, or cyanide.