Amateur-built AA-5 accident near Moab, Utah, July 18, 2000
On July 18, 2000 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5, registered N7161L, was destroyed in an accident near Moab, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot in command exercising poor judgment and exceeding the aircraft's turning capability. Contributing factors were the pilots' attention being diverted, flying into a known blind canyon, high temperature, and high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2000 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moab, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5
- Registration
- N7161L · no longer on the register · serial AA5-0461
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 21 year old private pilot received his certificate 16 days before the accident, and had logged about 150 total flight hours, 67 hours in type. His 44 year old pilot rated passenger was a local charter pilot and said to be thoroughly familiar with the surrounding terrain. Both pilots were avid 'BASE jumpers' (parachuting off of Bridges, Antennas, Structures, and Earth). The purpose of the flight was to scout for possible jump sites. The elevation at the airport was 4,553 feet msl, and the temperature was 93.2 degrees F. The computed density altitude was 7,407 feet msl. The airplane wreckage was found 5 days later on a talus slope at a 'Y' between two canyons at an elevation of 4,275 feet msl, or 145 feet above the floor of the canyon. The floor of the canyon was 4,130 feet msl, and the top of the canyon was at 5,243 feet msl. Examination of the accident site indicated the pilot was attempting to reverse course out of the canyon when the airplane impacted terrain. According to BLM personnel, temperatures in the canyons are considerably higher than at the airport.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 69 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,469 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CNY Moab UT at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CNY, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.