Rockwell 690 accident near Bridgeport, California, June 21, 1987
On June 21, 1987 at about 8:33 am local time, a Rockwell 690, registered N662DM, was destroyed in an accident near Bridgeport, California (Bryant Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1987 · about 8:33 am local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, California · Bryant Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 690
- Registration
- N662DM · registry record · serial 11015
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT CONDITIONS FOR THE AIR AMBULANCE TRIP CONSISTED OF A CLEAR, MOONLESS, DARK NIGHT AND THE DEST ARPT WAS IN A MTN VALLEY WITH THE ONLY GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS THE TOWN ADJACENT TO THE ARPT. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT OVERFLY THE TOWN AND ARPT AT PATTERN ALT THEN HEAD OUT OVER THE LAKE NORTH OF THE ARPT. ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE RWY, THE ACFT WAS SEEN TO SUDDENLY PITCH UP, ROLL INVERTED AND DIVE STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE LAKE. THE ACFT WAS HEADING AWAY FROM THE ONLY GND REF LIGHTS AND WAS OVER A REFLECTIVE BODY OF WATER NEAR THE BASE TURN POINT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. WITNESSES HEARD INCREASED ENG/PROP NOISE BEFORE IMPACT. WRECKAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF PWR AT IMPACT. THE SHIFTS FOR THE PLTS IN THE OPERATION CONSISTED OF 4 DAYS ON, 2 DAYS OFF, WITH ALTERNATING DAY AND NIGHT SHIFTS. THE PLT WAS ON THE 4TH NIGHT OF THE CURRENT SHIFT CYCLE AND WAS ALSO GIVING FLT INSTRUCTION DURING THE DAYS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,521 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 8,924 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,234 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 2, 1987; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-5-251K (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 8:04 am
- Destination: 057
- Runway 16, 4,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX87FA239.