# Accident 19980321004039A: Amtr MARSH1, Lone Pine, CA, March 21, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 21, 1998, 12:00 local time
- Place: Lone Pine, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.5600° N, 118.0496° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5600&lon=-118.0496&mi=10
- Aircraft: N166VP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N166VP-1998-08-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Marsh Victor MARSH 1 (registry code 05604FA, https://openairdocs.org/model/marsh-victor-marsh-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR MARSH1
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 939 total, 164 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA126) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980321004039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT WAS FLYING IN A CANYON WHEN IT CLIPPED A TREE, CRASHED AND WAS DESTROYED, LONE PINE, CA.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   (-4)THE PILOT INTENDED TO FLY HIS HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, WITH ITS 65 HORSEPOWER ENGINE, IN A WESTWARD DIRECTION OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM THE 3,680-FOOT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) LONE PINE AIRPORT, THE PILOT CIRCLED THE AREA TO GAIN ALTITUDE.  EVENTUALLY THE PILOT LOCATED A MOUNTAIN PASS AND PROCEEDED IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION TOWARD HIS HOME IN TRACY, CALIFORNIA.  THE ELEVATION OF THE UNDERLYING TERRAIN BEGAN INCREASING FASTER THAN THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING, SO THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON THE SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINSIDE.  THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION IS ABOUT 10,500 FEET MSL AND IS ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MT. WHITNEY.  IN THE PILOT'S COMPLETED REPORT, HE INDICATED THAT NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE EXPERIENCED DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT IN HIS EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA126), Mar 21, 1998: Victor Marsh Marsh 1 (N166VP), Lone Pine, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper in-flight planning, misjudged terrain clearance, and failure to attain adequate altitude before attempting to traverse the mountain pass. Contributing factors were the high…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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