Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mammoth Lakes, California 93546
Friday, June 16, 1995 22:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had received four weather briefings prior to departing on the cross-country flight between Long Beach and Mammoth, California. The briefer informed the pilot that variable weather conditions existed, including mixed icing in clouds, mountain obscurement, and precipitation. No flight plan was filed for the dark nighttime flight over the high mountainous terrain. Witnesses heard the airplane, with its engine running, collide with trees and terrain near their mountain campground. The accident site was at an approximate elevation of 7,300 feet msl. The witnesses estimated that the ceiling was about 200 feet above ground level, and snowing. The pilot's medical certificate had expired. The FAA declined to issue the pilot another medical certificate because his diabetes was insufficiently controlled.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions during dark nighttime over mountainous terrain; and his failure to maintain an adequate altitude to ensure terrain clearance. Thw weather and terrain were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MAMMOTH LAKES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93546
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2156 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID BIH
Elevation of weather observation facility 4120
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1927
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N333HF
NTSB Number LAX95FA210
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier P210N
Aircraft Serial Number P21000598
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 16 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2200
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIEL A. HAUS GROUP, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1500 EAST SPRING STREET
Aircraft Owner City LONG BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90807
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM D. HENDERSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3727 LIME AVENUE
Operator City LONG BEACH
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90807
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LGB
Departure City LONG BEACH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2130
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MMH
Destination City
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --