20200730006719A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 337F · July 30, 2020

Date: July 30, 2020 · 10:32 local
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N337V
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20LA245
Reported as: Cessna 337F
Reported engine: Continental IO-360 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 670 total36 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

N337VRegistered now · Cessna 337FS/N 33701369 · Built 1971 Airframe modelCessna 337F Engine modelContinental IO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The PIC planned the route of flight the day prior to departure. He stated that they stayed relatively low, 3000 AGL, so that they could take in the sights along the route.

They entered a box canyon and were unable to out climb the ridge. The PIC stated that there was an illusion created by bigger mountains around him that made him feel he was going to clear the ridge.

When he realized he was getting closer to the ridgeline and he was not going to clear it, he attempted a chandelle and was unsuccessful.

As the FAA filed it

THE PIC PLANNED THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT THE DAY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HE STATED THAT THEY STAYED RELATIVELY LOW, 3000 AGL, SO THAT THEY COULD TAKE IN THE SIGHTS ALONG THE ROUTE.

THEY ENTERED A BOX CANYON AND WERE UNABLE TO OUT CLIMB THE RIDGE. THE PIC STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ILLUSION CREATED BY BIGGER MOUNTAINS AROUND HIM THAT MADE HIM FEEL HE WAS GOING TO CLEAR THE RIDGE.

WHEN HE REALIZED HE WAS GETTING CLOSER TO THE RIDGELINE AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR IT, HE ATTEMPTED A CHANDELLE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR20LA245Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportEnnis, MTThe pilot-in-command’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed while attempting an evasive maneuver from a boxed canyon, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and impact with mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command’s…Jul 30, 2020 · Substantial damage