- Date
- January 4, 1992, 18:55 local (Jan 5, 1992, 02:55 UTC)
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, CA
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2654MCessna 421C
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920105000149A
- Case key
- 27398
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to plan and conduct his departure flight to avoid high mountainous terrain, during which the pilot became lost/disoriented. Contributing to the accident was self induced pressure to depart before the arrival of a snow storm.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Due to the impending arrival of a snow storm, the certificated commercial pilot and 5 passengers departed one day earlier than planned, from an uncontrolled airport located in mountainous terrain to begin a night, cross country flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. Prior to departure, the pilot was given an IFR clearance void time from an ARTCC. The pilot was climbing toward a VOR located about 27 miles southeast of the departure airport while attempting to contact the ARTCC to open his instrument flight plan. The pilot failed to maintain terrain clearance, and became lost/disoriented. The airplane struck trees and snow covered terrain at 10,200 feet MSL, 7 nautical miles and about 22 degrees to the right of the intended course.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2654M
- Reported as
- Cessna 421C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421C0691
- Airframe hours
- 3,200
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520-L, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Frank Gearhart
- Registered owner
- Frank Gearhart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1991 · 195 hours before
- Destination
- POC · La Verne, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,250 total · 270 in this make and model · 1,230 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MMH, 7 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.