UT - Family of Four Killed in Plane Crash - Moab - 1 October 2023

[Richrd]

.

Aviation Safety Network # 346183
Accident Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee N7153R,

Deceased Family from North Dakota:

Google Search

www.google.com

IFR = Instrument Flight Rules
NTSB = National Transportation Safety Board
.

 

[clearskies1]

.

Accident Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee N7153R, 346183

.

Four people are killed in small plane crashed after taking off in Utah

A North Dakota State Senator and his family were revealed to be the victims of a small plane crash Sunday night.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[LadyL]

RIP Larsen family.

 

[ifindedout]

I wonder if this was a density altitude (DA) issue, taking off with 4 passengers within what were acceptable weight limits at lower elevations might've put the plane overweight at that height above sea level, at a time of day when it's still hot outside.
MOO

Density altitude - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Howl]

I wonder if this was a density altitude (DA) issue, taking off with 4 passengers within what were acceptable weight limits at lower elevations might've put the plane overweight at that height above sea level, at a time of day when it's still hot outside.

Interesting. I've driven past that airstrip numerous times. The general area is flat and open.

They stopped there to refuel, so they were taking off at 8:30 pm with a full tank, but there were only two adults and two young children in the plane. No speculation on how much luggage weighed.
Canyonlands Regional Airport (~15 miles north of Moab) is 4,580'.

Here in SW Colorado there were heavy gusting winds (up to 25 mph) all day Saturday into Sunday night (Oct 1) ahead of a major weather change. Extrapolating between our wind here and Grand Junction, CO on weatherundergroun.com*, winds at Canyonlands Regional Airport would likely have been between 20 to 30 mph, gusts maybe higher? They were taking off at 8:30 pm, so it would have been cool by then, around 60 degrees. (Grand Junction, CO is similar elevation to Canyonlands Regional Airport.

*Extrapolating because Weather Underground defaults to Grand Junction, CO for historical weather data.