Lee Vining Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lee Vining, California 93541
Monday, March 18, 1985 14:25 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED BELOW THE CREST OF AN 8100 FT (MSL) MTN ON A FLT FROM MAMMOTH-JUNE LAKES ARPT (MMH), MAMMOTH, CA, TO RENO, NV, WHILE EXECUTING A LEFT TURN COURSE REVERSAL. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT FLYING AT ABOUT 100 AGL ALONG HWY 395. THE WITNESSES ALSO RPTD LOW CEILING & VIS PREVAILED. THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTING MMH & WAS INFORMED THAT THE MTN TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY LOW CLOUDS & SNOW SHOWERALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLT. THE PLT STATED HE WOULD WAIT AWHILE & DEPART. HE WOULD RETURN TO MMH IF HE COULD NOT NEGOTIATE THE HIGH MTNS. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT/POST-IMPACT FIRE.THE PROP ASS'Y DISCLOSED EVIDENCE OF POWER BEING DEVELOPED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1425
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LEE VINING
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93541
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
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 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 315
Airport Elevation 6802
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 639
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 18 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1525
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28235
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8567G
NTSB Number LAX85FA178
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150F
Aircraft Series Identifier 150F
Aircraft Serial Number 15062667
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 26 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 1150
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. & KATHRYNE J HARTWIG
Aircraft Owner Street Address W 308 HIGH DR.
Aircraft Owner City SPOKANE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99203
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 MMH
Departure City MAMMOTH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RNO
Destination City RENO
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --