Cessna 206H N72635

Summary

On 22 January 2002 at about 00:30 local time, a Cessna 206H registered N72635, operated by Lenair Aviation, was involved in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, United States. One person was 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.

Date

22 January 2002 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mammoth Lakes, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mammoth Yosemite (MMH)

Coordinates

37.6239, -118.8378

Aircraft

Cessna 206H

Registration

N72635

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Lenair Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Ana → Mammoth Lakes

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX02LA068

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and nose over during landing roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted a snow bank and nosed over after the pilot lost control of the airplane during a landing roll in 45-knot gusty crosswind conditions. According to the pilot, he obtained numerous weather updates prior to departing and during the flight. All of the reports included notification of gusty wind conditions. The pilot obtained one more wind report prior to landing on runway 27, which informed him that the wind was from 210 degrees at 25 knots with gusts to 45 knots. The pilot continued with the landing and during the rollout, at 30 knots, a gust of wind lifted the left wing, blowing the airplane to the right into a snow bank. The pilot reported placing the control yoke in the full aft position (up elevator) after the original upset, when the airplane was encountering a tailwind condition. The airplane then hit the snow bank and nosed over. The airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook instructs pilots to put the elevator in a down position when encountering a tailwind condition. A review of the Airport/Facility Directory, Southwest U. S., revealed a caution to pilots regarding gusty wind conditions and wind shear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.