Dassault-Breguet DA 10 accident near Rancho Murieta, California, October 15, 1987
On October 15, 1987 at about 10:28 pm local time, a Dassault-Breguet DA 10, registered N121FJ, was destroyed in an accident near Rancho Murieta, California (Rancho Murieta airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT FLYING WHILE PERFORMING AN INTENTIONAL LOW LEVEL AEROBATIC MANEUVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1987 · about 10:28 pm local time
- Place
- Rancho Murieta, California · Rancho Murieta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault-Breguet DA 10
- Registration
- N121FJ · no longer on the register · serial 192
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT FLEW TO THE ARPT FOR A SALES DEMO FLT. THE CREW BOARDED THE ACFT AND TAXIED OUT FOR DEP. WITNESSES, INCLUDING TWO PLTS WITH AEROBATIC EXP, WATCHED THE ACFT DEP, MAKE A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN AND DO A LOW FLY-BY DOWN THE RWY. AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY, THE ACFT PITCHED UP INTO A STEEP CLIMB. AT 600 FT AGL, THE ACFT ENTERED A LEFT AILERON ROLL, WHICH THE WITNESSES SAID WAS 'SMOOTH, COORDINATED AND WITH THE NOSE ON THE POINT.' AT THE INVERTED POINT OF THE ROLL, THE ROLL CHANGED FROM AN AILERON TO A BARREL ROLL. ONE PILOT WITNESS SAID THAT IT APPEARED THE 'CREW LOST IT AT THE TOP' AND THAT THE CREW 'HELD THE BACK PRESSURE TOO LONG AT THE TOP.' AT THE 270 DEG POINT OF THE ROLL, THE ACFT WAS SEEN TO 'FALL OUT' OR 'DISH OUT' OF THE ROLL; IT RECOVERED TO WINGS LEVEL FLT AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL IN A VERY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE SETTLING INTO THE GROUND WITH A HIGH VERTICAL DESCENT RATE. NO PREIMPACT ENG OR CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,407 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 6,346 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 475 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 7, 1987; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 19,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE 731-2-2A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Falcon Jet Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: 0Q7 at 10:25 pm
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from MHR, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.