Cessna 182M accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, April 18, 1987
On April 18, 1987 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N71736, 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; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- April 18, 1987 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, California · Mammoth Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N71736 · registry record · serial 1825936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A PLEASURE CROSS COUNTRY FLT, WHILE ON LONG FINAL TO THE RWY, THE PLT HAD TO ADD PWR TO COMPENSATE FOR A CROSSWIND. PRIOR TO REACHING SHORT FINAL THE PLT HAD REDUCED PWR AGAIN. UPON REACHING THE THRESHOLD, THE ACFT WAS APRX 300 FT AGL. THE PLT DECIDED TO GO-AROUND. PWR WAS RAPIDLY ADDED AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT TURNED OFF. THE ENGINE AT THIS TIME ONLY DEVELOPED PARTIAL PWR. THE PLT THEN ADDED CARBURETOR HEAT AGAIN. THE ENGINE, STILL NOT DEVELOPING SUFFICIENT PWR TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WAS DESCENDING AT 50-100 FPM. THE PLT THEN LANDED THE ACFT BEYOND MIDFIELD AND BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.
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: 149 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 124 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,468 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 17, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eight Ball Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 6:55 am
- Destination: MMH Mammoth Lakes CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from MMH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.