NTSB Factual Report

On July 5, 2003, approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, N6687, a Pringle Rans S-7 Courer, was destroyed when it impacted the Gunnison Reservoir near Manti, Utah. The private pilot was seriously injured and his passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated at Mount Pleasant, Utah, approximately 1400.

According to the pilot's accident report, he made a low pass over the Gunnison Reservoir. The wind was from the west and the outside temperature was greater than 100 degrees F. The pilot pulled up in a climbing right turn from west to east and the airplane stalled. The pilot said he "made a descent from about 150 feet to recover from the stall and tried to pull up before impact with the water but was unable. The [air]plane hit 20 feet off shore in about 2 feet of water."

Witnesses corroborated the pilot's story, but said the airplane made multiple low passes over the reservoir at altitudes between 10 and 30 feet. One witness said the airplane was about 10 feet high when one of its wings contacted the water and the airplane "flipped over." The accident was also captured on videotape by a bystander.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall. Low altitude flight and high density altitude are contributing factors.