LAX97FA241

The pilot received a 1 hour checkout in the aircraft on the day before the accident. Before departing on a flight from Camarillo to Inyokern, & then to Stovepipe Wells, CA, he obtained a preflight weather briefing. During an en route stop at Inyokern, the pilot refueled the airplane before continuing to Stovepipe Wells. Before reaching Stovepipe Wells, the airplane was observed to circle an undesignated/unmaintained airstrip at Panamint Springs Resort. The airstrip at Panamint Springs was the only landing strip between the refueling point & the planned destination, & it was not listed on any aeronautical charts. Also, the runway at Panamint Springs was oriented in about the same direction as the destination airport with runway 25 for landing (uphill) and runway 07 for takeoff (downhill). The destination runway was oriented to 05 and 23. At Panamint Springs, the pilot landed on runway 25 with a tailwind, then attempted a late go-around toward rapidly rising terrain. Witnesses said the aircraft touched down long and fast, then hit a dirt berm near the end of the strip. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed about 1/4 mile beyond the departure end of the runway. Runway 25 at Panamint Springs had an uphill gradient of 5.5 percent and no windsock. The density altitude was about 6,000 feet.

History of flight

On July 15, 1997, about 1415 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna TR182, N757CF, was destroyed during a go-around attempt at Panamint Springs, California. The pilot and his two passengers, Swiss nationals, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight which originated at Camarillo, California, on the day of the accident.

The pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing prior to departing from Camarillo. His briefing was for Camarillo to Inyokern, and then to Stovepipe Wells, California. No flight plan was filed nor required.

According to the operator at Inyokern, the pilot stopped for fuel about 1330 on the day of the accident. The pilot did his own refueling using his own tripod type step stool and added 13.9 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. During casual conversation, the pilot said he was from Switzerland, and they were en route to Death Valley.

Employees at the Panamint Springs Resort stated that the aircraft circled the private dirt airstrip once before the landing approach. They reported the aircraft landed long and fast on runway 25 and hit a dirt berm near the end of the strip. The aircraft became airborne for about 1/4 mile before colliding with terrain in an arroyo. The aircraft was consumed by a postaccident fire. Resort personnel stated that the temperature was about 112 degrees Fahrenheit and the winds were out of the east at the time of the accident.

Examination of the 2,100-foot runway revealed tire imprints starting at 1,400 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. The aircraft became airborne and touched down again about 600 feet further. At this point, the aircraft was to the left side of the runway and collided with a dirt berm.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate issued on July 3, 1995, with airplane rating for single engine land. The most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on March 7, 1997. The certificate contained limitations that correcting lenses be worn while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate.

No personal flight records were recovered. The aeronautical experience listed in this report was obtained from the aircraft operator's files. According to the operator, the pilot's total aeronautical experience consisted of about 170 hours, of which about 4 hours were accrued in the TR182 aircraft.

According to the operator, the checkout flight in the accident aircraft consisted of an 1-hour flight which included three landings the day before the accident.

Aircraft information

The airplane was manufactured in 1979, and had accumulated a total time in service of 2,048 hours. Examination of maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was accomplished on August 19, 1996, about 89 hours prior to the accident. The records indicate that the engine had accrued 133.1 hours since a major overhaul.

Meteorological information

The closest weather observation station is China Lake, California, which is located 40 nautical miles south of the accident site. At 1456, the China Lake surface observation was reporting in part: sky condition and ceiling, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet; visibility 50 miles; temperature 103 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 47 degrees Fahrenheit; wind 200 degrees at 11 knots; altimeter 29.94 inHg.

Airport information

The Panamint Springs Resort airstrip is on private land adjacent to the resort on state Highway 190. It is not listed nor shown on VFR charts or airport information guides. The airstrip does not have a windsock, nor is it maintained. The 2,100-foot-long strip has a 5.5 degree gradient or upslope. The runway is oriented as runway 25 for landing (uphill) and runway 07 for takeoff (downhill). The strip elevation is listed as 1,900 feet msl. The destination airport, Stovepipe Wells, has a runway oriented to 05 and 23. The field elevation is 25 feet msl; the runway length is 3,260 feet long and is 25 miles north-northeast. The distance between the two is 24 miles.

Wreckage and impact information

Examination of the wreckage site revealed the wreckage path started about 25 feet northwest of Highway 190, and about 1/4 mile northwest of the end of runway 25. Highway 190 separates the runway and the accident site. Rapidly rising mountainous terrain covers the area south through north.

The wreckage path was measured on a magnetic heading of 248 degrees over a distance of 225 feet. The wreckage was found inverted at the base of an arroyo embankment. A postcrash fire consumed the wreckage.

Medical and pathological information

On July 17, 1997, the Inyo County Coroner performed an autopsy on the pilot. Samples were obtained for toxicological analysis by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were negative for all screened drugs, volatiles, and cyanide.

Additional information

The wreckage was released to the insurance company representative on July 17, 1997. The aircraft owner/operator did not file a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, form 6120.1/2.