Aviat Aircraft INC A accident near Herriman, Utah, July 13, 2017
On July 13, 2017 at about 3:40 pm local time, a 2000 Aviat Aircraft INC A, registered N211AM, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Herriman, Utah. It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's decision to conduct a low-altitude flight into a box canyon in high density altitude conditions and his failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering to escape the canyon, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2017 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Herriman, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A 1B, built 2000
- Registration
- N211AM · no longer on the register · serial 2110
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction, departed on an instructional flight and proceeded toward mountainous terrain. A witness saw the airplane in a box canyon and reported that the airplane made a steep right turn and the nose dropped. To the witness, it appeared that the airplane was trying to escape the box canyon and that the speed of the airplane increased after the nose of the airplane dropped. The witness lost sight of the airplane behind terrain. Shortly thereafter, the witness saw smoke coming from the area where he had last seen the airplane. The wreckage was subsequently located by law enforcement personnel on down sloping terrain. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The density altitude at the departure airport was 7,000 ft mean sea level (msl); the density altitude in the area of the accident site was over 10,000 ft msl. Given the high-density altitude it is likely that the airplane performance was decreased, and there was not enough engine power available for the airplane to climb out of the box canyon. It is also likely that as a result of the turn, the true airspeed increased the radius of the turn, and the pilot would have attempted to compensate and increased the bank angle and exceeded the airplanes critical angle of attack resulting in a stall.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,553 hours in all; 111.5 in this make and model; 76.4 in the last 90 days; 35.7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,887 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 871 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 30, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 871 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Swgb Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: U42 West Jordan UT
- Destination: U42 West Jordan UT
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from U42, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on February 5, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Witness Statement | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 2 | radar Stars Plots | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Google Map Overlay - radar Data | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Field Report | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Examination Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Accident Report Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N211AM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.