20090424013449A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Valent TAIFUN 17 E II · Mammoth Lakes, CA · April 24, 2009

Date: April 24, 2009
Place: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N20822
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09LA222
Reported as: Valent TAIFUN17EII
Reported engine: LIMBAC L2400
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 918 total70 in this make and model21 in the last 90 days

N20822Registration cancelled Nov 7, 2013 · Valentin TAIFUN 17 E IIS/N 1116 · Built 1988 Airframe modelValentin TAIFUN 17 E II Engine modelLimbach L24004 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) A valentin taifun 17 e ii motor-glider, collided with terrain under unknown circumstances near Mammoth Lakes, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage from impacting trees. The empennage remained intact. The last departure point was tonopah, vevada. The flight departed tonopah at about 1500, with a planned destination of modesto, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed to Mammoth Lakes (mmh), the nearest reporting station. Satellite data indicates that a cloud layer obscured the mountains to the west and the assumed flight path to the destination. A flight plan had been filed and activated. It appears that the pilot may have been heading toward the lee vining airport. This airport was listed in the flight plan as an alternate airport. The aircraft was reported missing when the flight failed to arrive at it's destination. The civil air patrol discovered the wreckage on may 1, 2009.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) A VALENTIN TAIFUN 17 E II MOTOR-GLIDER, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES NEAR MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE FROM IMPACTING TREES. THE EMPENNAGE REMAINED INTACT. THE LAST DEPARTURE POINT WAS TONOPAH, VEVADA. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED TONOPAH AT ABOUT 1500, WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF MODESTO, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED TO MAMMOTH LAKES (MMH), THE NEAREST REPORTING STATION. SATELLITE DATA INDICATES THAT A CLOUD LAYER OBSCURED THE MOUNTAINS TO THE WEST AND THE ASSUMED FLIGHT PATH TO THE DESTINATION. A FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED AND ACTIVATED. IT APPEARS THAT THE PILOT MAY HAVE BEEN HEADING TOWARD THE LEE VINING AIRPORT. THIS AIRPORT WAS LISTED IN THE FLIGHT PLAN AS AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING WHEN THE FLIGHT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT IT'S DESTINATION. THE CIVIL AIR PATROL DISCOVERED THE WRECKAGE ON MAY 1, 2009.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR09LA222Accident · 2 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportMammoth Lakes, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering in a canyon.Apr 24, 2009 · Substantial damage