What happened
On April 23, 2022, a Diamond DA 40, registration N321PF, crashed into the southern edge of a canyon approximately 7 miles southeast of Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC) in Utah. The aircraft was being operated under Part 91 for a personal cross-country flight.
Earlier that day, the pilot had landed at CDC to refuel, adding approximately 14 gallons of fuel before preparing for the next leg of the flight to Bryce Canyon Airport (B/CE). Witnesses near the accident site observed the aircraft flying at an altitude between 200 and 300 feet above ground level. One witness reported seeing the airplane perform quick, rocking maneuvers, while another observed the aircraft bank sharply to the south as if attempting to turn around within the narrow canyon. The aircraft's wings were noted to be almost vertical during this maneuver, and the pilot appeared to lack sufficient airspeed to complete the turn.
The aircraft subsequently impacted mountainous terrain, resulting in a postcrash fire. The pilot and three passengers were 4 fatal.