Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mammoth Yosemite Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mammoth Lakes, California 93546
Sunday, August 22, 2010 8:33 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane encountered turbulence and a downdraft and began to rapidly lose altitude. The pilot was unable to maintain control, and the airplane subsequently collided with the terrain in a nose-low attitude. According to the front-seat passenger, the takeoff roll was long, and the airplane gradually climbed with the stall warning indicator buzzing. He stated that the airplane encountered an updraft followed by a downdraft, the pilot initiated a turn to the left, and the airplane subsequently stalled. The calculated density altitude at the airport at the time of the accident was about 8,900 feet. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and airplane control during takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/22/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 833 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Mammoth Lakes |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93546 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 373726N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1185019W |
| Event Location Airport | Mammoth Yosemite Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KMMH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 7135 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 829 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KMMH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 7135 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 205 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.18 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KMMH 221529Z AUTO 22005KT 10SM CLR 18/M00 A3 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 4 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29332 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA LAX ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 28 2011 4:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7807U |
| NTSB Number | WPR10LA417 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17251807 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| 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 | Jul 6 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3310 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | THARP, BOBBY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | RIDGECREST |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93555-3053 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Tharp, David |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | RIDGECREST |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 93555-3053 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KMMH |
| Departure City | Mammoth Lakes |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 833 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KMMH |
| Destination City | Mammoth Lakes |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 28 2011 4:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 7000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |