NTSB LAX89LA313 — 1989-09-17 · MAMMOTH LAKES, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N3929F

Make / Model: PIPER PA-32R-300
Year of manufacture: 1976 · 13 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER (310 hp)
Seats / Engines: 7 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19760805
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A48DD0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3929F Piper PA-32R-300 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITION AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. FACTORS THAT RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE GUSTY & CROSS-WINDS AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Factual narrative

THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE EXECUTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF FM RWY 27 & USED LEFT AILERON PRESSURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE GUSTY & X-WIND CONDITION. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS OVER 8200 FT. THE WIND WAS FROM 180 DEG AT 35 KTS. THE PLT DID NOT INDICATE THAT HE USED HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE TAKEOFF TECHNIQUES OR THAT HE ADJUSTED HIS INITIAL RATE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION. THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, CLIMBED TO 20 FT AGL, ENCOUNTERED THE GUSTY WIND, AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA313.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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