What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N280TB departed alpine Idaho airport on a sight-seeing trip at approximately 1615 local. N280TB along with another aircraft proceeded north to the vicinity of Palisades? Reservoir. The flight path entered a box canyon and rising terrain, the two aircraft began a climb with N280TB in position of a loose formation flight. The two aircraft approached a ridgeline, the pilot of the trail aircraft realized he did not have enough altitude to make the ridgeline crossing. Being slightly lower (approx. 75?) The pilot of the trail aircraft queried the pilot of N280TB about his power settings. The N280TB pilot stated he was full power at 1680 RPM and climbing at 1000 fpm. The trail pilot advised he was making a 360 degree climbing turn for altitude. N280TB said he would meet him on the other side and continued a straight flight path to cross the ridge. As the trial aircraft completed 270 degrees of turn, the pilot saw a cloud of dust on the ground. N280TB impacted the ground. The trail aircraft circled the area and identified the young female passenger alive near the wreckage. The pilot of the trail aircraft contacted jackson tower on guard frequency 121.5 and provided a grid to the crash site. The trail aircraft remained until limited on fuel at about which time a EMS helicopter arrived to rescue the girl and determine the fate of the pilot. The pilot of N280TB did not survive.
The female teen passenger was interviewed by NTSB investigator who said she mentioned the engine sounds normal up to the point of the crash. She also mentioned that there was a steady beeping sound just prior to the crash.
As the FAA filed it
N280TB DEPARTED ALPINE IDAHO AIRPORT ON A SIGHT-SEEING TRIP AT APPROXIMATELY 1615 LOCAL. N280TB ALONG WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED NORTH TO THE VICINITY OF PALISADES? RESERVOIR. THE FLIGHT PATH ENTERED A BOX CANYON AND RISING TERRAIN, THE TWO AIRCRAFT BEGAN A CLIMB WITH N280TB IN POSITION OF A LOOSE FORMATION FLIGHT. THE TWO AIRCRAFT APPROACHED A RIDGELINE, THE PILOT OF THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT REALIZED HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE RIDGELINE CROSSING. BEING SLIGHTLY LOWER (APPROX. 75?) THE PILOT OF THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT QUERIED THE PILOT OF N280TB ABOUT HIS POWER SETTINGS. THE N280TB PILOT STATED HE WAS FULL POWER AT 1680 RPM AND CLIMBING AT 1000 FPM. THE TRAIL PILOT ADVISED HE WAS MAKING A 360 DEGREE CLIMBING TURN FOR ALTITUDE. N280TB SAID HE WOULD MEET HIM ON THE OTHER SIDE AND CONTINUED A STRAIGHT FLIGHT PATH TO CROSS THE RIDGE. AS THE TRIAL AIRCRAFT COMPLETED 270 DEGREES OF TURN, THE PILOT SAW A CLOUD OF DUST ON THE GROUND. N280TB IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT CIRCLED THE AREA AND IDENTIFIED THE YOUNG FEMALE PASSENGER ALIVE NEAR THE WRECKAGE. THE PILOT OF THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT CONTACTED JACKSON TOWER ON GUARD FREQUENCY 121.5 AND PROVIDED A GRID TO THE CRASH SITE. THE TRAIL AIRCRAFT REMAINED UNTIL LIMITED ON FUEL AT ABOUT WHICH TIME A EMS HELICOPTER ARRIVED TO RESCUE THE GIRL AND DETERMINE THE FATE OF THE PILOT. THE PILOT OF N280TB DID NOT SURVIVE.
THE FEMALE TEEN PASSENGER WAS INTERVIEWED BY NTSB INVESTIGATOR WHO SAID SHE MENTIONED THE ENGINE SOUNDS NORMAL UP TO THE POINT OF THE CRASH. SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A STEADY BEEPING SOUND JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.