Incident
An aircraft departed from an airport whose runways were closed due to snow removal operations. A NOTAM had been filed with the Fresno Flight Service Station by the Mammoth Lake Airport manager at 0900 hours for taxiway and runway snow removal. The pilot was reportedly aware of the NOTAM, as both the manager and a lineman stated they had advised him of it.
Sequence of Events
Multiple witnesses observed the pilot enter the aircraft after declining both engine pre-heat and aircraft de-icing. When the lineman informed the pilot that two quarts of oil he requested did not register on the dipstick, the pilot ordered another quart to be thrown in and said to hurry up. No pre-flight inspection, warm-up, or before-takeoff check was noted by observers.
The pilot turned directly onto the runway and began the takeoff roll, passing a snow plow. The aircraft used the entire 7,000 feet of runway and lifted off in a nose-high attitude. The airport elevation is 7,128 feet above mean sea level.
After takeoff, the aircraft first struck a dirt mound approximately three-quarters of a mile from the departure end. It continued flying for about 280 feet, crossing a small ravine, before colliding with the far side of the ravine. The aircraft then began to break apart, coming to rest 144 feet farther east.