- Date
- July 7, 1991, 08:38 local (14:38 UTC)
- Place
- Bryce Canyon, UT
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5961UPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910707026349A
- Case key
- 41472
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's entry into a stall/mush condition shortly after take off. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the initial climb after take off the pilot said the aircraft wouldn't climb and started descending. The pilot decided to maintain his heading for the forced landing in the desert. Density altitude was calculated to be about 9500 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5961U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-26848
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kalin Werner
- Registered owner
- Kalin Werner
- Destination
- L66 · Corona, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,257 total · 450 in this make and model · 1,179 as pilot in command · 61 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.