Accident Case Study: High Aspirations

On a hot summer afternoon, July 25, 2020, the pilot of N7677C—a normally aspirated Piper PA 32 Cherokee Lance - gets ready to depart South Valley Regional Airport, a small nontowered airport just southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. The pilot has planned a cross-country flight to Page, Arizona, and then a sightseeing flight over the Grand Canyon - a treat to cap his family’s Utah vacation.

Join the AOPA Air Safety Institute as we examine the circumstances that led to the tragic outcome of the flight just minutes after takeoff. We look at factors that would affect the flight, including high-density altitude conditions.

ASI’s Accident Case Studies seek to share critical lessons to make us all safer pilots.

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[spvan]

This is a tough one, as I think many pilots could see themselves in this position. It's easy to brush off the accident reports where the pilot does something grossly illegal or dumb and say we would never do that. In this case, the plane wasn't overweight and wasn't out of CG. The book said the takeoff could be done. Took the runway that aligned with the most recent wind report. Considered effect of density altitude on mixture setting (though perhaps too late). No single decision/mistake on its own was enough to cause this accident. It was the classic aligning of holes in the swiss cheese, where multiple small errors combine to make a huge one. Very sad and a good lesson for us all. Thanks ASI!!!

[RegularItemShow]

Always leaves a pit in my stomach when a pilots family and/or other families are on board.

[riclatz]

Don't forget that aircraft performance is normally tested with a new engine, plugs, magnetos, fuel system, etc. I have been surprised more than once with an airplane that simply didn't perform to specifications. Never push the limits unless you know exactly what you are flying.

[martinbrink]

This happened to me early in my flying. I was flying an Archer, full fuel, with two large passengers, both in the back seat at KEYW on a hot summer day. The plane took all the runway, and lifted very slowly. I got lucky, I flew the pattern at 300' AGL and landed immediately, no incidents occurred. A mistake I never made since.

[batbiker]

I recall a run-up for a C172 pre-buy on a scorching-hot afternoon with an instructor at Falcon, Mess AZ. He was taking his sweet-ol' time adjusting the mixture for best power but after about 2 minutes i said (not gonna lie, in a condescending tone), 'what are you doing?' He politely told me he usually takes about 5 minutes determining best power. During climbout he told me the lose about one airplane per year there on TO. Never forget that

[LawrenceBarratt]

Humbling, educational and so watchable. Haven't missed one of these in over 10 yesrs. Thank you.

[josephhaas]

It’s really sad to see how an ostensibly good, careful pilot can get themself and their passengers wrapped up over missing the small things.

[wildgoose]

A great analysis and video, a few lessons I take away from this are,
(1) Treat every flight as if you have never flown the same route before. No two flights are ever the same.
(2) Never do it so close to performance limit. That 50% padding advice actually surprised me. I never thought I needed that much, but now that I've thought about it, I think since in a airplane things can happen so fast, that 50% sounds just about right for the decisions you make on the ground and the time you need in the air.
(3) Always double check ASOS/AWOS just before takeoff, in case winds shift or other conditions change, which may lead to lots of recalculations.
(4) Take friends or family for sightseeing in much more favorable weather conditions than this case...much. That said, overriding your own confidence, and your desire to let everyone have fun, is very hard -- takes a lot of mental practice and still not enough.

[BayAreaMotorcycleCommuting]

Thank you for these respectful and educational case studies. This one is a good reminder that even diligent pilots aren't immune from accidents. Let's all continue to learn from others' mistakes.

[colin-nekritz]

Best aviation series on YouTube, hands down.

[erictaylor]

It seems they got quite a lot of helpful information from the friend's daughter.
That is one brave little girl, to relate such things about a plane crash that killed her mother.

[murrethmedia]

Most stories we hear on this channel are of some pilot who doesn't do their due diligence and pays for it with their life. I feel like this pilot was a good one who just made a couple of mistakes that doomed him.

[DreamAsylum]

I wonder if flying with around half fuel to Page, AZ in the morning and refueling there to half fuel would have made all the difference. I got this awful feeling in the beginning when the details started coming in (full passenger compartment, luggage, full fuel tanks, high altitude, hot afternoon.) It's sobering to learn from these reports, and my thoughts are always with the victims, survivors, and families. I'm sorry for your losses.

These are expensive lessons, paid with the most precious price, the best way to honor these losses is to pay close attention and ensure they are not repeated.

[artquest]

Shout out the narrator for doing a great job despite having to fill the biggest shoes in the business

[jimmydulin]

As an instructor who has always taught more from the principals in "Stick and Rudder" than from some of the poor energy management airmen certification standards, my heart goes out to this pilot, his family, and those affected on the ground. ACS teaches "acceleration in ground effect to Vx or Vy as appropriate." While I appreciate the addition of "in ground effect, " neither Vx nor Vy was appropriate here. Vx had become Vy and Vy is just too slow for maneuvering flight. Having flown low powered training size airplanes in the mountains for years, I have learned that nearly all mountain flying is maneuvering flight. Even down drainage in the desert, he was constantly in the realm of maneuvering flight. Everywhere, but especially in the mountains, I have taught the basic level in low ground effect takeoff as default. More than a few times in many engine failures at low altitude, this extra free ground effect energy has made maneuvering to a suitable landing site possible. Why do we teach pitching to Vy with half a mile of runway ahead? Why do we teach giving up the free extra ground effect energy that will provide zoom reserve airspeed, even cruise airspeed, before the end of the runway. Why do we teach giving up the free extra ground effect energy that will make life and death difference sometime in our flying career? This well trained and competent pilot, based on his training, was lacking the training that would have saved him and his family. That was not his fault. As a part of the training community, that was our fault.

[cde]

My thoughts go out to the entire Air Safety Institute team and the loss of their leader, Richard McSpadden. These videos are incredibly well done and well produced. Thank you all for the hard work over the years and please continue to honor Richard's memory by continuing this series until ALL accidents are eliminated!

[SkylineBaronPilot]

Very humbling and an eye opener. So many variables. Thank you so much AOPA for putting these videos together. We all can learn from each other's experiences.

[BroPilots]

As a fellow Lance owner, this video hits home. Great job and so many good lessons here for us to takeaway.

[goutvols]

From the photos of the wreckage, it is a miracle that anyone survived.

[itsmebernie]

I’m so appreciative you keep making new Accident Investigation videos like this