Piper PA-32-260 N3929W accident near Sedona, Arizona

Probable cause

The partial loss of engine power while maneuvering for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

The flight was the return leg of a personal sightseeing trip that had originated the day of the accident. Witnesses observed the airplane depart from the airport, and then fly below the ridge lines of an adjacent mesa in a pattern that was consistent with a sightseeing flight. The airplane then climbed above the mountain ridges and out of view. The wreckage was located about 1,600 feet above the airport elevation, in an area close to the last position observed by witnesses. Shortly after the accident the pilot stated to a witness, who was the first to arrive at the accident site, that the engine lost power. The pilot succumbed to his injuries 2 months following the accident, and as such could not be interviewed. The airplane was serviced with fuel prior to the flight, and traces of fuel were observed at the accident site. Propeller witness marks indicated that the engine had been rotating at the time of impact with terrain. The airplane was extensively damaged by postaccident fire; however, examination of the remaining wreckage revealed no obvious anomalies which would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR09FA038 for the full record.