LAX85LA182
1985-03-18 · MOUNTAIN PASS, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport 3L2
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT DEPARTED INTO A WEATHER FRONT. VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. FLT PRECAUTIONS EXISTED FOR ICING, TURBULENCE & MT OBSCURATION. THE RADAR CHART SHOWED LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE ACFT WAS ISSUED A CLEARANCE OUT OF THE TCA TO CLIMB & MAINTAIN 6500 FT. THE ACFT WAS LOCATED AFTER IT WAS MISSING FOR 4 DAYS.IT HAD STRUCK A MOUNTAIN AND RESTED AT THE 6800 FT MSL LEVEL. RADAR INFORMATION CONFIRMED THAT THE ACFT WAS INBOUND BACK TOWARD ITS POINT OF DEPARTURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1985_LAX85LA182.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing, turbulence, thunderstorm). All research papers
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Contractor Report (CR) An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm
The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Reprint (Version printed in journal) Observations of severe turbulence near thunderstorm tops
Data derived from the flight tapes of two airliners that experienced severe turbulence near thunderstorm tops are used to produce quantitative descriptions of the turbulence and its environment.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2023 · Faculty research project Understanding the Coupled Interactions Between Hair-Like Micromechanoreceptors and Wall Turbulence
This research focuses on understanding the interactions between turbulent flows and long (high aspect ratio), flexible hair-like microstructures or micropillars inspired by those encountered in nature…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2020 · Journal article (IJAAA) Significance of Incorporating Weather Technology Training for GA Pilots to Curb Fatalities
Weather is considered to be the main threat to aviation safety from the early 1900s. Despite advanced technologies available at present, the weather still poses a risk to the ever-growing aviation ind…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Proceedings Operational evaluation of thunderstorm penetration test flights during project Storm Hazards '80
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is conducting a research project called Storm Hazards '80 in order to study the prediction, detectability and avoidance of the hazards of severe storm…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Reprint (Version printed in journal) Severe Turbulence and Maneuvering from Airline Flight Records
Digital flight records from reported clear-air turbulence incidents are used to determine winds and turbulence, to determine maneuver g loads, and to analyze control problems.