# NTSB SEA86FA225: Cessna 340A, N340MV, Mesquite, NV, August 26, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: August 25, 1986, 21:00 local (Aug 26, 1986, 04:00 UTC)
- Place: Mesquite, NV
- Location: 36.8055° N, 114.0672° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mesquite, NV, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8055&lon=-114.0672&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 40300
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA86FA225
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/40300/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA86FA225

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - in flight weather avoidance assistance - initiated, atc personnel(artcc)
  - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - thunderstorm (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - lightning (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - turbulence(thunderstorms) (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - reason for occurrence undetermined, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT WAS CLEARED TO DEVIATE 20 DEG LEFT OF COURSE TO AVOID THUNDERSTORM (TSTM) ACTIVITY THAT ARTCC RADAR SHOWED WAS RGT OF COURSE. THE PLT RPRTD TURBC, BUT DEMURRED DESCENDING TO A LOWER ALT DESPITE A PIREP OF CLEAR WX BELOW. HE THEN RPRTD 'IN A CELL' WITH TURBC. RADAR & RADIO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WERE LOST. ANOTHER PLT, WHO FLEW APRX 15 MI FURTHER SOUTH, RPRTD NO WX, BUT SAID THERE WAS EXTREME WX TO THE NORTH WITH NEAR CONSTANT LIGHTNING. SUBSEQUENTLY,N340MV IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE-DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE, AFTER A 14,000 FT DSCNT. THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED WHEN THE PLANE CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT STRUCTURAL FAILURE OR ACFT COMPONENT MALFUNCTION. ALSO, THE WRECKAGE SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF WEATHER DAMAGE FROM HAIL OR LIGHTNING. HOWEVER, WX INFO SHOWED THERE WAS HIGH ALT TSTM ACTIVITY WITH TURBC IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N340MV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N340MV-2013-03-07), registration cancelled 2013-03-07, S/N 340A0209 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 340A
- Registry model: [Cessna 340A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340a) (registry code 2076405) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 340A0209
- Airframe hours: 1480
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-N 310 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: James W. Barnard
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 3, 1986, 14 hours before
- Departed: BUR, BURBANK, CA
- Destination: 2V5, WRAY, CO
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 20,000 total, 14 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Night/dark
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Observed at: LAS, 77 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19860825042439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860825042439A), Aug 25, 1986: Cessna 340A, Mesquite, NV, Destroyed. Impacted ground nose down after encountering turbulence near a thunderstorm cell en route. Disregarded ATC vectors.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.