Cessna 172N accident near Lee Vining, California, September 5, 1987
On September 5, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6122G, was destroyed in an accident near Lee Vining, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- September 5, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lee Vining, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6122G · no longer on the register · serial 73568
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY FOLLOWED THE WRONG ROAD & WENT INTO A BOX CANYON AREA. HE STATED THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 5 MILES & HE DID NOT SEE THE UPCOMING RISING ELEVATION. EVENTUALLY, HE GOT INTO A SITUATION WERE THE ACFT COULD NOT OUTCLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN & THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT SPACE TO REVERSE COURSE. SUB- SEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT A TREE & CRASHED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 10,500'. THE PLT INDCD THE ENG WAS RUNNING NORMALLY BEFORE THE ACDNT.
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: 319 hours in all; 229 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: California Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: O24 Lee Vining CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.