Piper PA-22-108 accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, July 22, 1983
On July 22, 1983 at about 10:39 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N5737Z, was destroyed in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1983 · about 10:39 pm local time
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N5737Z · registry record · serial 22-9576
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE TRYING TO MANEUVER THROUGH A MOUNTAIN PASS AT 13000 FT MSL WITH THE TEMPERATURE AT 82DEGREES. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT STARTED A HIGH SINK RATE. HE CHECKED THE THROTTLE, MAGS AND MIXTURE BUT WAS FORCEDTO SETTLE INTO THE TREES ABOUT 1 MILE WEST OF MAMMOTH LAKES ARPT. THE DENSITY ALT WAS ABOUT 17200 FT. THE SERVICE CEILING OF A PA-22 IS 12000 FT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 135 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,635 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1982; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UDD Palm Desert CA at 7:15 pm
- Destination: 022 Sonora CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from BTH, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX83LA352.