Lee Vining Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lee Vining, California 93541
Sunday, May 5, 1991 21:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE WHILE RETURNING FROM A SHORT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO AN AIRPORT LOCATED IN AN AREA OF LITTLE GROUND ILLUMINATION DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS. THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN CONSISTED OF MOUNTAINS TO THE RIGHT AND A LAKE TO THE LEFT OF THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE OVER-FLEW THE RURAL AIRPORT ON A MOONLESS NIGHT AND MADE A LEFT TURN TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND PORTION OF A VFR APPROACH. THE TERRAIN AND LIGHT CONDITIONS PRODUCED DARK AND FEATURELESS VISUAL CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED THE NEXT DAY AND HAD STRUCK TERRAIN 1/2 MILE FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT IN A HIGH SPEED DESCENDING LEFT TURN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION DURING A NIGHT APPROACH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LEE VINING
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93541
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LEE VINING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 024
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 52
Airport Elevation 6802
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1009
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44843
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:00AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2137G
NTSB Number LAX91FA203
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier 182A
Aircraft Serial Number 51437
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 12 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 102
Airframe Hours 4098
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD F. BONINI
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 7
Aircraft Owner City JUNE LAKE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93529
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RONALD F. BONINI
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 7
Operator City JUNE LAKE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93529
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 NONE
Departure City COLEVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2035
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 4090
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --