MAMMOTH LAKES, CA, USA
N8110E
MOONEY M20A
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN SIDE AT SOME TIME PRIOR TO 0900 ON 11/12/83 WHEN THE ELT SIGNAL WAS 1ST REPORTED, VIA SATELLITE. BEFORE THE FLT, THE STUDENT PLT WAS LAST SEEN IN BAKERSFIELD, CA AT ABOUT 0100 THAT MORNING. A RESCUE MISSION WAS DELAYED DUE TO PROHIBITIVE WX CONDITIONS WHICH INCLUDED HIGH WINDS & BLOWING SNOW. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WITH A ROCK RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF 10,400 FT MSL. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED WHILE IN AN UPRIGHT, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE & DESCENDING AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 5 DEG. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT OR ENG. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AMPHETAMINE AT 0.6 MG/L & METHAMPHETAMINE AT 1.2 MG/L. BETWEEN 0100 & 0900 PST, THE CLOUD BASES WERE ABOVE 4000 FT, CLOUD TOPS ABOVE 10,000 FT, MODERATE TURBULENCE POSSIBLE BELOW 12,000 FT, FREEZING LEVEL NEAR 8000 FT & LIGHT TO MODERATE ICING IN CLOUDS ABOVE THE FREEZING LEVEL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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