Lone Pine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lone Pine, California 93545
Saturday, January 13, 1990 17:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A WX BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. WHILE ENROUTE TO COLUMBIA THE PILOT CALLED ATC REQUESTING WX INFO. THE CONTROLLER OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTERING POSITIVE CONTROL AIRSPACE AND TOLD THE PLT TO REMAIN BELOW 18,000 FT. THE PLT TOLD THE CONTROLLER THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO CLIMB ABOVE FL 180 TO REMAIN VFR. THE CONTROLLER ADVSD THE PLT TO CONTACT EDWARDS RAPCON IF HE REQUESTED ANY IFR ASSISTANCE. THE AIRPLANE'S MODE C TRANSPONDER WAS TRACKED FOR OVER AN HOUR BETWEEN FL 196 AND 14,300 FEET. THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PLT. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 1709 - ABT 1 HOUR 9 MIN AFTER INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE PLT. THE ACFT WAS FOUND IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA 7 MONTHS LATER AT 11,300 FT MSL. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. FORECASTED WX INDICATED MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WITH A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS WITH POSSIBLE ACCUMULATIONS OF 2-3 FT OF SNOW, WINDS GUSTING TO 50 MPH AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE LIKELY EFFECT OF HYPOXIA ON THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/13/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1710
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LONE PINE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93545
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LONE PINE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 026
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3680
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1779
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 13 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43509
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N758UV
NTSB Number LAX90LA271
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 R172K
Aircraft Series Identifier R172K
Aircraft Serial Number R1723379
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JERRY D. TEEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 25153 REDLANDS BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City SAN BERNARDINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92408
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 L12
Departure City REDLANDS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 022
Destination City COLUMBIA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --