Boeing 727-225 incident near Charleston, South Carolina, June 8, 1986
On June 8, 1986 at about 2:33 pm local time, a Boeing 727-225, registered N8865E, was involved in an incident near Charleston, South Carolina. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 67 people were on board or involved. 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 incident. 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
- June 8, 1986 · about 2:33 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 67 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-225 · all 727-225s on the register
- Registration
- N8865E · no longer on the register · serial 20627
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SCHEDULED AIR CARRIER FLIGHT AT NORMAL CRUISING ALTITUDE, THE CAPTAIN PASSED OUT UPON RE-ENTERING THE COCKPIT AFTER EXCUSING HIMSELF TO GO TO THE LAVATORY. THE FLIGHT CREW DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION DUE TO THE MEDICAL EMERGENCY. A REVIEW OF THE CAPTAIN'S MEDICAL HISTORY REVEALED THAT CHRONIC LYMPHATIC LUKEMIA WAS DIAGNOSED IN 1981 AND WAS FIRST REPORTED TO THE FAA IN 1985. THE CAPTAIN HAD RECEIVED SPECIAL AUTHORIZATION FROM THE FAA TO HOLD A FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE IN JULY OF 1985 AND RETURNED TO FLIGHT STATUS IN FEBRUARY OF 1986 AFTER A 7 MONTH PERIOD OF SICK LEAVE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,343 hours in all; 3,971 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 134
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-15 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: MCO Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from CHS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 60 |
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.