Fatal Cirrus Accident Shows That Some Knowledge Doesn’t Translate

Helicopter pilot’s fixed-wing inexperience proved costly in a desert mountainside crash that killed four.

Peter Garrison

Monday, April 15, 2024 at 09:22 AM ET

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An aerial view of a sunny day on Bryce Canyon in the Utah desert. [iStock]

Key Takeaways:

An overloaded Cirrus SR20, flown by an experienced helicopter pilot with limited fixed-wing experience, crashed in high-density altitude terrain.
The pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed and use available engine power, flying slowly with the engine under-revved despite continuous stall warnings.
The accident underscores the dangers of transferring ingrained habits between different aircraft types, as the pilot's helicopter-centric practices likely led to fatal errors in a fixed-wing environment.

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On a warm day in late spring, four professional helicopter pilots rented a Cirrus SR20 in North Las Vegas, Nevada, for a fishing trip to Bryce Canyon, Utah. Of the four, only one had an airplane rating.

After taking off from North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) and flying 60 miles, they landed at Mesquite, Nevada (67L), where they added 10 gallons of fuel. The pilot with the airplane rating, who had flown the first leg, now ceded the left front seat to one of his companions, evidently with the idea of giving him some flight instruction. He moved to the right seat, and they performed several touch-and-gos before continuing toward Bryce Canyon, 105 miles distant.