Beech A36 accident near Swansboro, North Carolina, May 20, 1986
On May 20, 1986 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N103SM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Swansboro, North Carolina (Triple M airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1986 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Swansboro, North Carolina · Triple M · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N103SM · registry record · serial E-1267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 700 FT DOWN THE 2700 FT SOD RWY. THE RWY WAS WET FROM RAIN AND BRAKING ACTION WAS NIL. THE PLT ELECTED TO STAY ON THE RWY AND CONTINUE BRAKING EFFORTS. THE ACFT SLID OFF THE RWY END INTO A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE PLANNED BETTER AND SET UP FOR A SHORT-FLD LDG, AND BEEN AWARE OF POSSIBLE REDUCED BRAKING ACTION DUE TO RWY CONDITIONS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 2,954 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 2,507 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,337 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RW1 Rocky Mount NC at 3:45 pm
- Destination: Swansboro NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 2,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from NJM, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL86LA136.