Cessna 172E N7807U

Summary

On 22 August 2010 at about 15:33 local time, a Cessna 172E registered N7807U, operated by Tharp, David, was involved in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 August 2010 at 15:33

Classification

Accident

Location

Mammoth Lakes, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mammoth Yosemite Airport (KMMH)

Coordinates

37.6239, -118.8386

Aircraft

Cessna 172E

Registration

N7807U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Tharp, David

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mammoth Lakes → Mammoth Lakes

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10LA417

4 people were seriously injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and airplane control during takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane encountered turbulence and a downdraft and began to rapidly lose altitude. The pilot was unable to maintain control, and the airplane subsequently collided with the terrain in a nose-low attitude. According to the front-seat passenger, the takeoff roll was long, and the airplane gradually climbed with the stall warning indicator buzzing. He stated that the airplane encountered an updraft followed by a downdraft, the pilot initiated a turn to the left, and the airplane subsequently stalled. The calculated density altitude at the airport at the time of the accident was about 8,900 feet. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.