Piper PA24-180 N5069P

Summary

On 20 July 1962 at about 06:45 local time, a Piper PA24-180 registered N5069P, operated by Capital Skypark Inc., was involved in an accident near Bridgeport, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 July 1962 at 06:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Bridgeport, California, United States

Coordinates

38.2697, -119.3296

Aircraft

Piper PA24-180

Registration

N5069P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Capital Skypark Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fresno → Sacramento

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

Unk

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX94LA336

4 people died.

IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN FOR UNKNOWN REASON(S).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.