What happened
A local sightseeing flight departed from Grand Canyon-National Park Airport with one pilot and six passengers on board. Shortly after the departure, the aircraft's engine ceased functioning. In an attempt to manage the emergency, the pilot directed the plane toward a field located near Tusayan for an unplanned landing. The impact during the crash landing resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft type and caused seven serious injuries among all occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the engine failure was caused by fuel starvation resulting from improper fuel management. While the aircraft was performing maneuvers within the traffic pattern, it was discovered that the fuel levels were significantly unbalanced, with approximately 15-20 gallons remaining in the right tank and only 2 gallons in the left tank. The investigation concluded that no fuel was flowing from the selector when it was set to the right tank position because the selector valves were obstructed. Additional contributing factors included the uneven nature of the terrain where the forced landing occurred.