Cessna 303 accident near Shippenville, Pennsylvania, February 13, 1986
On February 13, 1986 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 303, registered N4877V, was destroyed in an accident near Shippenville, Pennsylvania (Clarion County airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 1986 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Shippenville, Pennsylvania · Clarion County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 303
- Registration
- N4877V · no longer on the register · serial T303-00282
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N4877V ARRIVED OVER CLARION COUNTY AIRPORT AT ABOUT 2100 HOURS, AND COMMENCED A VISUAL APPROACH FOR LANDING. MARGINAL VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED BY ANOTHER PILOT WAITING ON THE GROUND FOR THE AIRCRAFT. THIS PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN THROUGH A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS AS IT TURNED LEFT, SOUTHWEST, AS IF TO ESTABLISH A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 05. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED IN A WOODED AREA SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO INDICATE ANY MALFUNCTION OR SYSTEM FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND THE WRECKAGE WAS CONFINED TO AN AREA INDICATIVE WITH A STALL TYPE ACCIDENT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,504 hours in all; 2,198 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 1986; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,150 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Steel City Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Cleveland OH at 11:21 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from DUJ, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.