Cessna 182A accident near Lee Vining, California, May 6, 1991
On May 6, 1991 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N2137G, was destroyed in an accident near Lee Vining, California (Lee Vining airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION DURING A NIGHT APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1991 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Lee Vining, California · Lee Vining · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N2137G · no longer on the register · serial 51437
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE WHILE RETURNING FROM A SHORT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO AN AIRPORT LOCATED IN AN AREA OF LITTLE GROUND ILLUMINATION DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS. THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN CONSISTED OF MOUNTAINS TO THE RIGHT AND A LAKE TO THE LEFT OF THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE OVER-FLEW THE RURAL AIRPORT ON A MOONLESS NIGHT AND MADE A LEFT TURN TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND PORTION OF A VFR APPROACH. THE TERRAIN AND LIGHT CONDITIONS PRODUCED DARK AND FEATURELESS VISUAL CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED THE NEXT DAY AND HAD STRUCK TERRAIN 1/2 MILE FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT IN A HIGH SPEED DESCENDING LEFT TURN.
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: 480 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,098 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1987; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Coleville CA at 3:35 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,090 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2137G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.