Background
On November 10, 2025, at about 1515 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172M, registration N13221, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Poleta, California. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot-rated passenger and a passenger sustained fatal injuries, while the pilot was seriously injured.
Flight History
The pilot rented the airplane from a flight school at North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, Nevada, on the day of the accident. According to the flight school, the airplane was fueled to capacity. ADS-B data indicated that the airplane departed VGT at 1159 for a flight to Bishop Airport (BIH), Bishop, California.
At 1416, the airplane arrived at BIH. The pilot purchased about 10 gallons of fuel from the self-serve fuel pump. The airplane then departed from runway 17 at 1505. It began a climbing left turn to the southeast and approached a mountain range with terrain elevations reaching up to about 9,000 ft msl. The last ADS-B return was recorded at 1514, capturing the airplane at 6,850 ft msl.
Search and Wreckage Location
When the airplane failed to return to VGT, the flight school contacted local law enforcement, who subsequently contacted the FAA. The FAA then issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT). The airplane was located the day after the accident at about 0600.
The accident site was situated in the east end of a canyon about 9.6 miles southeast of BIH and about 1.3 miles northeast of the last ADS-B return. The terrain elevation at the bottom of the canyon rose from 4,400 ft msl near the western opening to about 7,600 ft msl near the east end.
Wreckage Examination
The airplane came to rest at an altitude of about 7,000 ft msl on a shale-covered slope on the north face of the canyon. The wreckage lay on a heading of about 077° magnetic. Fragments of interior plastics and windows surrounded the airplane. The main cabin doors had separated and came to rest downslope of the main wreckage.
All major structural components—the wings, empennage, and engine—remained attached to the fuselage. Several gallons of fuel were present in each fuel tank. Visual examination of the engine revealed no indications of internal catastrophic failure. The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange; one propeller blade had separated and was found imbedded in the soil near the main wreckage. The blade exhibited leading edge chipping, S-bending, and chordwise striations.
The aircraft was retained for further examination.