Investigation Summary
The flight was originally scheduled to depart from Mammoth Yosemite Airport, but was relocated to Bishop due to a generator fuse delay and Mammoth's lack of night operation certification. After landing at Bishop at 19:20, the crew loaded 32 passengers and film equipment. The aircraft departed runway 12 at approximately 20:20 and began a climbing right turn. The crew reported they were climbing VFR (Visual Flight Rules) while awaiting their IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) clearance from the Tonopah Flight Service Station. Witnesses reported the engines sounded smooth and the aircraft appeared to be in a gradual climb. However, the night was exceptionally dark with no moon, making the mountains indistinguishable from the sky. The aircraft struck the terrain at 20:28 on a heading of 175 degrees in a 25-degree right bank. Investigators noted that while the visibility was technically 30 miles, the lack of celestial lighting created a 'black hole' effect. The first officer had recently been ill with the flu and had not eaten, leading to speculation about fatigue, but the lack of a Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) or Flight Data Recorder (FDR)—which were not required for this aircraft type at the time—prevented investigators from determining the exact nature of the crew's actions or potential distractions.
Final Conclusions
The NTSB issued its final report (AAR-75-01) in January 1975, stating it was unable to determine the probable cause of the accident. The investigation confirmed the aircraft was properly maintained and the crew was qualified. The board highlighted that the first officer was likely fatigued due to recent illness and lack of food, and that the dark night made terrain avoidance difficult without distance measuring equipment (DME). The report concluded that the reason the crew did not maintain safe clearance from the mountains could not be established.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
Sierra Pacific Airlines Flight 802 Aftermath Footage — Historical footage and overview of the 1974 Convair CV-440 crash near Bishop, California, which claimed the lives of 36 people including a television film crew.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Age 50. Had flown into Bishop 8 times previously.
First Officer
Age 26. Had been ill with the flu for four days prior to the flight.
Observer Pilot
Age 45. Pilot-in-command trainee occupying the jumpseat.
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp
The aircraft was powered by two R-2800-CB16 radial engines, which were found to be functioning normally at impact.
Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)
The Bishop VOR lacked DME at the time, which would have provided the crew with precise distance from the airport to help maintain terrain clearance.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Convair CV-440 Metropolitan built in 1953.
- 02The flight was chartered by Wolper Productions for the cast and crew of the TV special 'Primal Man'.
- 03The crash site was at an elevation of 6,100 feet, while the airport elevation was 4,124 feet.
- 04Both engines were found to be developing near maximum continuous power at the moment of impact.
- 05The aircraft was not equipped with a Cockpit Voice Recorder or Flight Data Recorder.
Safety Actions & Advisories
DME Installation
The NTSB recommended the installation of Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) collocated with the Bishop VOR.
Night Operation Restrictions
The NTSB recommended that all nighttime departures and arrivals at Bishop Airport be conducted strictly according to prescribed IFR procedures.