Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mammoth Lakes, California 93546
Monday, December 12, 2005 11:29 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane collided with flat desert terrain following an in-flight loss of control. A witness about 1 mile south of the accident site heard a rough running engine, and looked up to see what it was. As the airplane traveled overhead, he heard the engine "popping/backfiring," which lasted about 3 seconds, and then the engine quit. He then saw the airplane "dip" to the right, in a "tumbling motion." The witness indicated that it was like a somersault with the nose dropping and the tail coming over the top. He saw about 2 to 3 revolutions of the airplane, which lasted a total time of about 8 seconds, and then the airplane dropped below tree level and collided with the ground. The witness reported that it was somewhat cloudy in the area, but the airplane was below the clouds. When he arrived at the accident site to render aid, he reported there was no frost/ice on the wings, and that it was not cold enough for the formation of frost/ice. Witnesses at the departure airport reported that the engine sounded like the exhaust system was leaking very badly or that either the exhaust or muffler was loose. An engine test run could not be conducted due to displacement of the crankshaft caused by the nose-down impact. An engine teardown revealed no discrepancies in the engine core or in the accessories that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and, the failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering following the loss of power, which resulted in a stall/spin.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/12/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1129 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Mammoth Lakes |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93546 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 373215N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1183611W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1056 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BIH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22056 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 12 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 30 2007 12:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-RNO-FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3590R |
| NTSB Number | LAX06FA055 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | A23 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | M782 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Greg Little |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Highland |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92346 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | USA |
| Departure Time | 846 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MMH |
| Destination City | Mammoth Lakes |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 4 2007 1:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |