Cessna 150M accident near Lee Vining, California, October 21, 1984
On October 21, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704EQ, was destroyed in an accident near Lee Vining, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lee Vining, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704EQ · no longer on the register · serial 14078556
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN DURING A VFR X-COUNTRY. THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE ON THE LEE SIDE ANDDID NOT CLEAR THE TOP OF THE RIDGE. THE PLT SAID THAT WHEN HE SAW THE ACFT WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR THE RIDGE HE LOWERED 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND STARTED A LEFT TURN. THE LEFT WING HIT THE SIDE OF THE RIDGE AND THE NOSE OF THE ACFT HIT A LARGE ROCK. THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED AND CAME TO A STOP RIGHT SIDE UP. THE AVIATION WEATHER HANDBOOK STATES IN PART THAT THE DOWNDRAFT ON THE LEE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN MAY DRIVE AN ACFT INTO THE MOUNTAINSIDE. IT RECOMMENDS A CLIMB WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE MOUNTAIN TO AN ALT IN EXCESS OF THE TERRAIN TO BE CLEARED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,241 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 12, 1984; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 022 Columbia CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 024 Lee Vining CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 360° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.