Mammoth/June Lakes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mammoth Lakes, California 93546
Monday, July 4, 1988 16:52 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXECUTED A LEFT (SOUTH) CROSSWIND DEPARTURE TOWARDS HIGHER TERRAIN AFTER DEPARTING RUNWAY 27; THE PLT WAS FOLLOWING A SLOWER SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE THAT HAD PRECEDED HIS DEPARTURE. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE HIGHER TERRAIN IT ENTERED INTO A LEFT BANKING TURN. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS OSCILLATED RAPIDLY. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND CRASHED INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER OF CALIF STATE HWY 395 WHICH IS ADJACENT TO & PARALLELS THE EAST/WEST RUNWAY. THE POST ACCIDENT AIRPLANE/ENGINE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. THE AIRPLANE HAD EXCEEDED ITS MAX GROSS T.O. WEIGHT AND IT WAS NEAR ITS AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITS. THE PLT HAD COMPLAINED TO HIS DR. ABOUT EPISODES OF FORGETFULNESS AND CONFUSION. THE DR. RECOMMENDED THAT THE PILOT CEASE ANY FLYING ACTIVITIES UNTIL HIS MEDICAL CONDITION WAS DIAGNOSED AND TREATED. THE PLT DID NOT HEED THE DRS. ADVICE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1652
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MAMMOTH LAKES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93546
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MAMMOTH/JUNE LAKES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MMH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 7120
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID MMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 7120
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9500
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 387
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36058
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9HS
NTSB Number LAX88FA245
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 320D
Aircraft Series Identifier 320D
Aircraft Serial Number 320D0028
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 2731
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J. T. THOMPSON & G. STURDEVANT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 80397 DELIGHT VALLEY SCHOOL RD
Aircraft Owner City COTTAGE GROVE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97424
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code MMH
Departure City MAMMOTH LAKES
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1650
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TOA
Destination City TORRANCE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --