What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At about 11:30 am on 09-01-2017 the pilot arrived at nampa municipal airport and received some instruction in the accident aircraft. The pilot performed 7 touch and go landings with an instructor. At about 5:00 pm the pilot put fuel in the aircraft and flew to high valley Idaho and spent the night with his cousin. In the morning of 09-02-2017 the pilot performed a preflight of the aircraft and the pilot and his cousin departed high valley heading toward sulphur creek ranch for breakfast. The pilot stated he flew up a box canyon about 14 miles sw of sulphur creek ranch. He attempted to turn right to get out of the canyon because the aircraft could not out climb the terrain. The right wing stalled and the aircraft crashed into the terrain. The pilot suffered multiple injuries and the passenger was fatally injured.
The point of departure (high valley) is at 4883 MSL the intended point of arrival (sulphur creek ranch) is at 5835 MSL. The accident occurred at approximately 7476 MSL. The terrain around the accident site is 7600 to 7800 MSL. The pilot stated that the aircraft could climb only about 200 fpm. He said that he was familiar with flying a citabria in Georgia which could have climbed out of that box canyon. The pilot did not have any previous mountain flying experience.
As the FAA filed it
AT ABOUT 11:30 AM ON 09-01-2017 THE PILOT ARRIVED AT NAMPA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AND RECEIVED SOME INSTRUCTION IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT PERFORMED 7 TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. AT ABOUT 5:00 PM THE PILOT PUT FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT AND FLEW TO HIGH VALLEY IDAHO AND SPENT THE NIGHT WITH HIS COUSIN. IN THE MORNING OF 09-02-2017 THE PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT AND HIS COUSIN DEPARTED HIGH VALLEY HEADING TOWARD SULPHUR CREEK RANCH FOR BREAKFAST. THE PILOT STATED HE FLEW UP A BOX CANYON ABOUT 14 MILES SW OF SULPHUR CREEK RANCH. HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN RIGHT TO GET OUT OF THE CANYON BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT OUT CLIMB THE TERRAIN. THE RIGHT WING STALLED AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT SUFFERED MULTIPLE INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED.
THE POINT OF DEPARTURE (HIGH VALLEY) IS AT 4883 MSL THE INTENDED POINT OF ARRIVAL (SULPHUR CREEK RANCH) IS AT 5835 MSL. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 7476 MSL. THE TERRAIN AROUND THE ACCIDENT SITE IS 7600 TO 7800 MSL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COULD CLIMB ONLY ABOUT 200 FPM. HE SAID THAT HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH FLYING A CITABRIA IN GEORGIA WHICH COULD HAVE CLIMBED OUT OF THAT BOX CANYON. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ANY PREVIOUS MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.