Mammoth Lakes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mammoth Lakes, California 93546
Saturday, August 8, 1987 14:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT, JUST AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WHEN THE PLT POSITIONED THE CARB HEAT CONTROL TO FULL COLD. THE PLT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO OBTAIN FULL POWER, DURING THE RUNUP HE WOULD POSITION THE CARB HEAT TO ONE EIGHTH HOT. INSPECTION AND A FLOW TEST OF THE CARB REVEALED THAT THE CARB WOULD SUSTAIN ENGINE OPERATION. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED. THE TEMPERATURE RECORDED AT MAMMOTH LAKES AIRPORT 13 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS 82 DEGREES. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 10,300 FEET. THE DEW POINT WAS NOT RECORDED THEREFORE THE PROBABILITY OF CARBURETOR ICING COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MAMMOTH LAKES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93546
Event Date Year 1987
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 7128
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1448 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 7128
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 7000
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 10300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1316
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34673
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24651
NTSB Number LAX87LA299
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model C23
Aircraft Series Identifier C23
Aircraft Serial Number M1413
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 19 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 1052
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PERRIN F. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3316
Aircraft Owner City NAPA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94558
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APC
Destination City NAPA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 9
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --