Piper PA24-180 accident near Bridgeport, California, July 20, 1962
On July 20, 1962 at about 6:45 am local time, a Piper PA24-180, registered N5069P, was destroyed in an accident near Bridgeport, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN FOR UNKNOWN REASON(S).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1962 · about 6:45 am local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA24-180 · all PA24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5069P · no longer on the register · serial 24-75
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON JULY 19, 1962, A COMMERCIAL, NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT, AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE CROSSING HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ON A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN AT ABOUT 9,200 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON A 30 DEGREE SLOPE WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED MISSING AND WENT UNDISCOVERED UNTIL AUGUST 8, 1994. THE AIRPLANE WITH HUMAN REMAINS WAS DISCOVERED IN A REMOTE AREA OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK BY TRAIL REPAIR PERSONNEL. THE FAA AND SAFETY BOARD DID NOT HAVE ANY RECORDS OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE REGISTRATION NUMBER OF THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN REASSIGNED TO ANOTHER AIRCRAFT IN 1972. U.S. PARK AND COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL CONDUCTED A CORONER'S INVESTIGATION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Capital Skypark INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 6:00 am
- Destination: SAC Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.