Two people died after a small plane crashed near Apache Junction in 2023, and a recent report presents what federal investigators say went wrong.
An April report from the National Transportation Safety Board says the pilot flew too low near the Superstition Mountains on a June morning. The aircraft hit the terrain after the pilot – who was flying in formation – struggled with depth perception due to heavy shadows.
“The pilot’s controlled flight into the mountainous terrain due to diminished depth perception as a result of the shadowing effect from the sun’s position,” according to the report.
The report said both the pilot and his passenger died when the plane struck steep mountain terrain, 200 to 400 feet below a ridgeline. The debris was scattered downslope with no fire or explosion.
The 46-year-old pilot had 575 total flight hours, with 250 in the accident aircraft model, but no documented experience in mountainous terrain.
The flight was en route to Payson with the two other planes, which safely returned to Mesa. The NTSB blamed poor judgment and environmental factors for the crash.
Multiple witnesses saw the planes flying low, the report said. One of the pilots said the crashed aircraft passed under him, with its nose pitching up and down before impact.
All three pilots chose to fly low over mountainous terrain, the report said. The aircraft that crashed was fully loaded with fuel, baggage and two occupants, possibly impacting performance.
