Diamond Aircraft DA40-G1000 accident near Strawberry Rese, Utah, July 9, 2007
On July 9, 2007 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft DA40-G1000, registered N747PZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Strawberry Rese, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain adequate terrain clearance. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to turn into upsloping terrain at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2007 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Strawberry Rese, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft DA40-G1000 · all DA40-G1000s on the register
- Registration
- N747PZ · no longer on the register · serial 40.424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted rising mountainous terrain while flying in a box canyon. The pilot was flying at 7,500 feet msl in mountainous terrain that varied from 7,000 to 9,000 feet msl. His passenger spotted an elk and he maneuvered the airplane into a slight left turn in an attempt to view the elk. The maneuver put the airplane into the entrance of a draw. Within seconds the draw started to rapidly converge. The pilot applied full power and stared to climb but it was clear that the airplane was not going to clear the terrain. He also determined that a 180-degree turn out of the draw was not possible. He continued to fly the plane straight ahead and bled off as much air speed as possible before colliding with the trees. The airplane impacted the trees, turned 90 degrees, and was captured by the trees in a nose down attitude. The pilot and three passengers were able to egress the airplane with out difficulty. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
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: 141 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 452 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2007; 86.3 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVEL Vernal UT at 3:00 pm
- Destination: KU77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.