Cessna 320 N5752X
28 April 1996 · Mammoth Lakes, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 28 April 1996 at about 20:45 local time, a Cessna 320 registered N5752X was involved in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Mammoth Lakes, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Mammoth Lakes (MMH)
- Coordinates
- 37.5799, -118.8390
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320
- Registration
- N5752X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → San Martin
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX96LA180
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
the partial failure of the right engine turbocharger wastegate butterfly valve to fully close due to mechanical binding and the low setting of its associated absolute pressure controller. A related factor was the high density altitude which reduced the engine's ability to produce adequate manifold pressure.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot performed a static engine run-up, and with no discrepancies noted, he commenced the takeoff. Upon reaching between 25 and 50 feet above the runway during the initial climb, the normal 35 inches of manifold pressure (MP) was observed being produced by the left engine. However, the right engine only produced between 18 and 20 inches of MP. The airplane veered right and settled into the rough/uneven terrain near the airport. The airport's elevation is 7,128 feet mean sea level, and the calculated density altitude was over 8,200 feet. An examination of the right engine's turbocharger assembly revealed the absolute pressure controller was set lower than the manufacturer's specifications required. Also, the wastegate butterfly valve was mechanically binding in its housing and would not fully close.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 320 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May 1996 | Cessna 320A | Provo, Utah, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 18 Oct 1996 | Cessna 320A | Longmont, Colorado, United States | Richard A. Basiliere | No injuries | - |
| 19 Sep 1996 | Cessna 320C | Waco, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Jun 1996 | Cessna 320C | Winslow, Maine, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Aug 1995 | Cessna 320 | Gunnison, Colorado, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Jul 1997 | Cessna 320E | W. Yellowstone, Montana, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar 1996 | Maule M-6-235 | Bishop, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Oct 1996 | Cessna 210A | Truckee, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Mar 1996 | Cessna 152 | Santa Paula, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1996 | Piper PA-28-140 | Plymouth, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Mar 1996 | Cessna T210M | Grass Valley, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Mar 1996 | Cessna 172L | Napa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |