What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft took off, did not gain altitude, and crashed, 2 POB suffered fatal injuries, one POB has serious injuries, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on August 3, 1999, at 1407 hours pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N19113, operated by aero haven, inc., of big bear, California, was destroyed when it collided with trees and terrain at tusayan, Arizona. The private pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries; another passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was rented by the pilot for the personal flight that was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated at big bear on August 1, 1999, and was to include stops at las vegas, Nevada, and Grand Canyon, Arizona, with a return to big bear on August 3, 1999. The airplane arrived at the las vegas mccarran international airport parking ramp about 1740 on August 1, 1999, where it remained for the night. On August 2, the airplane was topped off with fuel (15.4 gallons), and the fuel invoice showed an estimated departure time of 1400 for the Grand Canyon. On August 3, 1999, the airplane was cleared for takeoff at 1405 from runway 03 at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport. Several pilot witnesses stated that the airplane appeared slow and did not climb much above the trees. About a mile north of the airport it was seen to barely clear the buildings at tusayan. After crossing highway 64, it was observed to roll to the left and descend into trees. At the time of the accident the airport density altitude was reported as 8,700 feet MSL, and the wind was light and variable. According to department of commerce airport/facility directory, runway 03 has a positive runway gradient of 0.7 percent, or about a 76-foot increase over the 8,999-foot length.(-23) a/c departing on runway 3 at gcn airport went into the trees approx. 2 miles north into rising terrain.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT TOOK OFF, DID NOT GAIN ALTITUDE, AND CRASHED, 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, ONE POB HAS SERIOUS INJURIES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON AUGUST 3, 1999, AT 1407 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 177B, N19113, OPERATED BY AERO HAVEN, INC., OF BIG BEAR, CALIFORNIA, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN AT TUSAYAN, ARIZONA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES; ANOTHER PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS RENTED BY THE PILOT FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BIG BEAR ON AUGUST 1, 1999, AND WAS TO INCLUDE STOPS AT LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, AND GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA, WITH A RETURN TO BIG BEAR ON AUGUST 3, 1999. THE AIRPLANE ARRIVED AT THE LAS VEGAS MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PARKING RAMP ABOUT 1740 ON AUGUST 1, 1999, WHERE IT REMAINED FOR THE NIGHT. ON AUGUST 2, THE AIRPLANE WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL (15.4 GALLONS), AND THE FUEL INVOICE SHOWED AN ESTIMATED DEPARTURE TIME OF 1400 FOR THE GRAND CANYON. ON AUGUST 3, 1999, THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF AT 1405 FROM RUNWAY 03 AT THE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK AIRPORT. SEVERAL PILOT WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED SLOW AND DID NOT CLIMB MUCH ABOVE THE TREES. ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT IT WAS SEEN TO BARELY CLEAR THE BUILDINGS AT TUSAYAN. AFTER CROSSING HIGHWAY 64, IT WAS OBSERVED TO ROLL TO THE LEFT AND DESCEND INTO TREES. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRPORT DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS REPORTED AS 8,700 FEET MSL, AND THE WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. ACCORDING TO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY, RUNWAY 03 HAS A POSITIVE RUNWAY GRADIENT OF 0.7 PERCENT, OR ABOUT A 76-FOOT INCREASE OVER THE 8,999-FOOT LENGTH.(-23) A/C DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 3 AT GCN AIRPORT WENT INTO THE TREES APPROX. 2 MILES NORTH INTO RISING TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.