What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot #2 was receiving mountain training from instructor pilot (pilot #1). While flying, using visual landmarks, both pilots became confused seeing similar looking landmarks until it was too late. Pilots reported that smoke was in the visual area, but differed on whether or not the smoke was a visibility distraction. Iic summary is that the smoke probably was not a factor in accident. The instructor pilot recognized they were off course and in the wrong canyon, took control and landed the aircraft in the trees. Aircraft was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT #2 WAS RECEIVING MOUNTAIN TRAINING FROM INSTRUCTOR PILOT (PILOT #1). WHILE FLYING, USING VISUAL LANDMARKS, BOTH PILOTS BECAME CONFUSED SEEING SIMILAR LOOKING LANDMARKS UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. PILOTS REPORTED THAT SMOKE WAS IN THE VISUAL AREA, BUT DIFFERED ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SMOKE WAS A VISIBILITY DISTRACTION. IIC SUMMARY IS THAT THE SMOKE PROBABLY WAS NOT A FACTOR IN ACCIDENT. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT RECOGNIZED THEY WERE OFF COURSE AND IN THE WRONG CANYON, TOOK CONTROL AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TREES. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.