Mammoth Lakes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mammoth Lakes, California 93546
Wednesday, August 1, 1990 16:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCCUPANT, WAS TAXIING TO THE AIRPORT RAMP AFTER LANDING AND NOTICED TUMBLEWEEDS AND DEBRIS BEING BLOWN IN THE DIRECTION OF HIS AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STOPPED THE AIRPLANE AND A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE AIRPLANE WAS STRUCK BY HIGH VELOCITY WINDS. THE AIRPLANE WAS LIFTED UP AND INVERTED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THUNDERSTORMS AND VIRGA WERE REPORTED IN THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH HIGH VELOCITY WINDS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1605
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MAMMOTH LAKES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93546
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MAMMOTH LAKES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MMH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 7128
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1656
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42987
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51872
NTSB Number LAX90LA273
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274367
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 16 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 3851
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROD PHILBRICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 711 AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BISHOP
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93514
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HANGER #1 AERO SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 711 AIRPORT RD.
Operator City BISHOP
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93514
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIH
Departure City BISHOP
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1535
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 27
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --