Cessna 182P accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, September 20, 1985
On September 20, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N7208N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California (Mammoth Lakes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- September 20, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, California · Mammoth Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N7208N · registry record · serial 18263000
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE AFCT'S THROTTLE STUCK IN THE FULL POWER POSITION. HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN USING THE MIXTURE CONTROL, BUT MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE, STALLED THE AIRCRAFT & CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE CONDITION OF THE WRECKAGE PRECLUDED DETERMINATION OF THE PRE-ACCIDENT CONDITION OF THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY.
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: 738 hours in all; 738 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 721 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,570 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 1985; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDM San Diego CA
- Destination: MMH
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from MMH
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 LAX85LA397.