Cessna 421C N2654M

Summary

On 5 January 1992 at about 02:55 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N2654M, operated by Frank Gearhart, was involved in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, United States. 6 people were on board and 4 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 January 1992 at 02:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Mammoth Lakes, California, United States

Coordinates

37.5799, -118.8401

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N2654M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Frank Gearhart

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → La Verne

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX92FA082

4 people died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.