Piper PA-28R-200 N3096R

Summary

On 8 November 1985 at about 23:40 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N3096R, operated by Paul A. Gordon, was involved in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 November 1985 at 23:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Mammoth Lakes, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mammoth-June Lakes (MMH)

Coordinates

37.5803, -118.8404

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N3096R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Paul A. Gordon

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mammoth Lakes → Upland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX86LA036

2 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE OBSERVED THE ARPT'S WIND SOCK IN PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE THE WIND WAS BLOWING DOWN THE RWY WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS THAT DID NOT SEEM OVER 20 KTS. AFTER TAKING OFF & CLIMBING TO ABT 100 FT AGL, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE LIKELY ASSOCIATED WITH A MOUNTAIN WAVE CONDITION. THE PLT STATED & A GROUND- BASED WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT RAPIDLY ROLLED 90 DEG. RT & DESCENDED. JUST BEFORE COLLIDING WITH TERRAIN THE ACFT'S WINGS WERE LEVELED. NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED BY THE PLT. 30 MIN AFTER THE CRASH THE ARPT'S SPECIAL WX OBSERVATION LISTED THE PRESENCE OF STANDING LENTICULAR ALTOCUMULUS CLDS IN ALL QUADRANTS, & THE SURFACE WINDS WERE 15 KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.