Raytheon Aircraft Company B36TC accident near Mammoth, California, March 3, 2008
On March 3, 2008, a Raytheon Aircraft Company B36TC, registered N234MT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Mammoth, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was dense snow covering the level terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2008
- Place
- Mammoth, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raytheon Aircraft Company B36TC
- Registration
- N234MT · no longer on the register · serial EA-656
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About three minutes after takeoff, the airplane's engine experienced a complete loss in power, but the propeller kept turning. Since the pilot could not get the engine restarted, he configured the airplane for a normal landing, and touched down in what appeared to him to be level snow-covered terrain. Upon touchdown, the airplane sank through about three feet of dense snow, which resulted in a rapid deceleration. Both the airplane's belly and the inboard portion of its wings suffered crushing damage. Inspection of the airplane's fuel storage and delivery systems, and the teardown inspection of the components of the turbocharger system did not reveal any evidence of an anomaly that would have kept the engine from producing full rated horsepower. The engine was successfully test run at various power settings up to a maximum of 2,400 rpm and 30 inches of manifold pressure.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Not specified
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 884 hours in all; 724 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 14, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 873 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,850 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMMH Mammoth CA
- Destination: KVNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.