Overview – Mummy’s Nose East Cliff Plane Crash Site | Mt Charleston Wilderness, Nevada

I came across the debris from this plane crash while hiking at the base of the Eastern cliffs of Mummy’s Nose. Aircraft parts debris were scattered from the base of the cliffs for about 1000 feet down the steep sloping gully that descended from the cliffs.

Adventure Route Summary

Originally I had intended to reach Mummy’s Forehead from Deer Creek Road. The route began at the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop parking area on Deer Creek Road. From there I ascended the Eastern Ridge of Seven-Mile Canyon, just above Deer Creek Road. I took that ridgeline to the East (left) side of the Mummy’s Nose cliffs. In the video you’ll see a thunderstorm that just missed me while ascending that ridge. Near the summit of the ridgeline, where it met the Mummy’s Nose Cliffs, I traversed along the Eastern base of the cliffs, where about mid-cliff I came across the plane crash gully. Following an exploration of that gully and documentation of the plane crash debris, I continued onward along the base of the Eastern cliffs until arriving at the large gully that descends from the saddle between Mummy’s Nose and Mummy’s Forehead. See an earlier adventure to that saddle from Lee Canyon here. 

So, in the end, I did find the first half of a route from Deer Creek Road to Mummy’s Forehead, dodged a thunderstorm and located an old plane crash site that appears to be undocumented.

Route Starting Point Directions – Mummy’s Nose East Cliff Plane Crash Site | Mt Charleston Wilderness, Nevada

To get to this point from Las Vegas head North on I-95 taking a left at one of the last I-95 exits in the Las Vegas area, Kyle Canyon exit. Continue up Kyle Canyon road about 17 miles and a couple miles before Charleston Village take a right on Highway 158 towards Lee Canyon. You’ll wind around the hillside to the left and as the road briefly levels off before descending toward Lee Canyon. Pass the North Loop Trailhead, Deer Creek Picnic Area and the Camp Stimson turnoff. The trailhead is a small parking area on the right just before the Desert View Overlook Parking Area. It’s the trailhead parking for the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Trail.

Narrative Guide – Mummy’s Nose East Cliff Plane Crash Site | Mt Charleston Wilderness, Nevada

The Plane Crash Gully

Not being an aircraft accident forensic expert, here is my best research on the crash site. Perhaps there exists a well-documented article on this incident, perhaps this information might help provide content for such an expert article.

The gully was located at these approximate coordinates:

• Longitude: -115.638617
• Latitude: 36.327736

Plane Crashes in the Spring Mountains

Due to unpredictable high winds and wind patterns coupled with high elevations, there are a number of plane crash sites in the Spring Mountains. The most famous is the  November 17, 1955 C-54 CIA aircraft crash up on the Southeastern base of Charleston Peak’s final summit approach. More information on this incident:

• Memorial and Crash Site Telescope Viewpoint on the Escarpment Trail
• Memorial at the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway

How Might This Crash Have Occurred?

Regarding this current crash site on the Eastern base of Mummy’s Nose, from the nature of the debris (small pieces from various parts of the aircraft) it appeared the plane crashed into the face of the cliffs with a force that broke it into small pieces which were, over a period of years, washed down the gully. I assume many more pieces were buried in the deep sediment of the gully. I did not get all the way to the base of the cliffs where I believe the larger parts of the plane may be lodged.

In the video you will find documentation of the scattered pieces of the plane along 1000 feet down the length of the gully.

Research of the Aircraft Type

Part Identification Tag:

There was one piece with the following information written on a metal tag:

• Teledyne Continental Motors Aircraft Products Division
• TCM (or TSM) P/641139
• Mfr Part No 10-48931
• Model M14-4-5
• Serial No H278103 R

A call to Teledyne Continental revealed the following scant information:

• Engine Spec: TSIO520VB2B (from the serial number above).
• Continental.Aero

Follow-up study on the engine spec number above revealed the engine was a turbo-charging (TSIO-520).

The permold series of aircraft engines have fuel pumps that are driven by the crankshaft. Rotary engines may look like radial engines, but they are attached to the airframe only by a crankshaft. The entire engine rotates with the propeller. Rotaries, popular for their simplicity and adequate cooling at slow speeds, powered many early aircraft. 

Possibly a Cessna 402C

An aircraft that has an engine closest to the specification number above is the CESSNA 402C TSIO-520-VB.

The Cessna 402 can carry up to 7 passengers. This aircraft is not pressurized and so typically limited to flight altitudes below 10,000 feet to ensure comfort and safety without supplemental oxygen.

The Cessna 402C was introduced in 1979. It was used by the Swedish Coastguard in 1981. About 1,500 were made. Production of the 402 line was closed down in 1985. Find additional information on this plane here. 

Research on Mummy Mountain Plane Crashes

Based on the above information and my assessment of the aircraft debris I would place the date of this crash sometime between 1980 and 2010. Most likely window might be late 1980’s, early 1990’s.

I searched the Nevada Crash Locator Database only to find there is no aircraft crash listed anywhere near the above coordinates. 

All other searches came up empty, so to me this crash remains a mystery.

Summary

I plan to return next Summer to complete the route from Deer Creek Road to Mummy’s Forehead and Chin. This may turn out to be the most direct, streamlined route as opposed to an alternate route from Lee Canyon. So, encountering a thunderstorm, discovering a plane crash I didn’t know existed and finding an alternative, more streamlined route to Mummy’s Forehead is a lot for one adventure.