Three Onboard Bonanza Lost

A Beechcraft BE-35 impacted a mountain near Sedona, AZ shortly after noon Sunday during a landing attempt, killing the pilot and two passengers.

Confirmation from the medical examiner is being sought before identities of those onboard the Bonanza are released, said Cmdr. Marlayne Hatler, a spokeswoman for the Sedona Police Department.

The aircraft took off from La Cholla Airpark northwest of Tucson on Sunday morning, said Diana Joubert, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman to the Arizona Daily Star.

The impact sparked a small forest fire, said Mac McCall, airport operations manager, to the Associated Press.

The plane was likely brought down by high winds, Hatler said. There's no indication the plane experienced any mechanical failures, she added.

Joubert stated the FAA is investigating the possibility the Bonanza encountered wind shear conditions, caused by updrafts off terrain in the area. Wind gusts as high as 45 knots were reported in Flagstaff, north of Sedona, according to the agency.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 9556Y        Make/Model: BE35      Description: 35 Bonanza
  Date: 04/15/2007     Time: 1900

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: SEDONA   State: AZ   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON SHORT FINAL, CRASHED INTO THE HILLSIDE AND CAUGHT FIRE, THE
  THREE PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, SEDONA, AZ

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   3
                 # Crew:   3     Fat:   3     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: GUSTS TO 45KTS KFLG 151856Z 20025G36KT 10SM FEW075 BKN090 10/08 A2985

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Approach      Operation: OTHER

  Departed: TUCSON, AZ                  Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: SEDONA, AZ               Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: SCOTTSDALE, AZ  (WP07)                Entry date: 04/16/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov