What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 17, 2000 approx. 14:30 MST, Grumman AA-5 a/c, N7161L, was destroyed by fire when it collided with terrain in mineral canyon, Utah (approx 20 miles west of town of Moab, UT) the pilot and pilot rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. VMC conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated from canyonlands field cny) Moab, UT approx. 30 minutes before the accident. The a/c was located by cap a/c on July 23. Initial investigation revealed that the pilot flew the a/c into a dead-end andyon without the power required to clear the canyon walls. It appears that the pilot struck a canyon wall while attemoting to turn around in the canyon in a stall-spin attitude.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 17, 2000 APPROX. 14:30 MST, GRUMMAN AA-5 A/C, N7161L, WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN IN MINERAL CANYON, UTAH (APPROX 20 MILES WEST OF TOWN OF MOAB, UT) THE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM CANYONLANDS FIELD CNY) MOAB, UT APPROX. 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE A/C WAS LOCATED BY CAP A/C ON JULY 23. INITIAL INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT FLEW THE A/C INTO A DEAD-END ANDYON WITHOUT THE POWER REQUIRED TO CLEAR THE CANYON WALLS. IT APPEARS THAT THE PILOT STRUCK A CANYON WALL WHILE ATTEMOTING TO TURN AROUND IN THE CANYON IN A STALL-SPIN ATTITUDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.