Sightseeing Crash at Grand Canyon

Adventure Airlines 
Grand Canyon West Airport, Arizona, June 19, 1992
Twin Engine Cessna Crashes over Grand Canyon, Killing All 10 People On Board

On June 19, 1992, an Adventure Airlines aircraft crashed as it was taking off from the Grand Canyon West Airport in Arizona. The aircraft, a twin-engine Cessna 402, lost power in its right engine shortly after take-off. The pilot transmitted that he was experiencing a problem as witnesses saw the Cessna make a right turn which progressed into a dive. The aircraft then plummeted to the ground, killing all ten people aboard.

After conducting an investigation into the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that pilot error was to blame. According to the NTSB, the pilot did not follow the emergency procedure after the right engine failed on takeoff, something he should have been able to do. By failing to maintain minimum control speed, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, causing it to crash. The NTSB also accused the airline for not sufficiently training the pilot to fly a plane burdened by a heavy load and operating in a high-elevation airport.

Aviation attorneys from Wisner Baum represented two passengers in this crash.