What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot reported that while flying in mountainous rising terrain, 'I decided that the terrain around us are SIC rising rather quickly so I started to climb. As I was climbing the airplane wasn't performing too well due to high density altitude. Since I was surrounded by valley a turn was not my option.' He further reported that, 'I decided to fly straight without losing anymore airspeed, and I impacted a series of trees at the very top of the hill,' followed by ground impact. The calculated density altitude at the accident site (4,200 feet above sea level) was 6,861 feet. (-23) sight seeing in a canyon - could not fly aircraft out of the canyon.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS RISING TERRAIN, 'I DECIDED THAT THE TERRAIN AROUND US ARE SIC RISING RATHER QUICKLY SO I STARTED TO CLIMB. AS I WAS CLIMBING THE AIRPLANE WASN'T PERFORMING TOO WELL DUE TO HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. SINCE I WAS SURROUNDED BY VALLEY A TURN WAS NOT MY OPTION.' HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT, 'I DECIDED TO FLY STRAIGHT WITHOUT LOSING ANYMORE AIRSPEED, AND I IMPACTED A SERIES OF TREES AT THE VERY TOP OF THE HILL,' FOLLOWED BY GROUND IMPACT. THE CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE (4,200 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL) WAS 6,861 FEET. (-23) SIGHT SEEING IN A CANYON - COULD NOT FLY AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE CANYON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.