Cessna 185D and Mooney M20C mid-air collision near Hammonton, New Jersey, December 7, 1986
On December 7, 1986 at about 4:21 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 185D (N5878T) and Mooney M20C (N6930U), were involved in a mid-air collision near Hammonton, New Jersey (Hammonton airport). 2 people were 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
- December 7, 1986 · about 4:21 pm local time
- Place
- Hammonton, New Jersey · Hammonton
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 185D · all 185Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5878T · no longer on the register · serial 185-0178
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6930U · no longer on the register · serial 2729
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 185D final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MID-AIR COLLISION OCCURRED WHILE THE CESSNA 185 WAS ATTEMPTING A STEEP CLIMBOUT DURING TAKEOFF FROM RWY 21 AND THE MOONEY WAS MAKING A LANDING TO THE SAME RUNWAY. ANOTHER AIRCAFT ATTEMPED TO WARN BOTH AIRCRAFT OVER THE UNICOM FREQ. NEITHER AIRCRAFT RESPONDED TO THE THREE CALLS AND BOTH CONTINUED THEIR OPERATIONS. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 400 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RWY 31. THE AIRPLANES CAME TO REST ABOUT 1300 FEET DOWN THE RWY IN A GRASSY AREA BTW THE TAXIWAY. BOTH A/C BURNED. THE M-20 LEFT OUTBOARD WING PANEL WAS STRUCK SEVERAL TIMES BY THE C-185 PROPELLER BLADES. THE C-185 VERTICAL FIN WAS DEFLECTED LEFT OF IT'S INSTALLED POSITION.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Mooney M20C final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MID-AIR COLLISION OCCURRED WHILE THE CESSNA 185 WAS ATTEMPTING A STEEP CLIMBOUT DURING TAKEOFF FROM RWY 21 AND THE MOONEY WAS MAKING A LANDING TO THE SAME RUNWAY. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ATTEMPED TO WARN BOTH AIRCRAFT OVER THE UNICOM FREQ. NEITHER AIRCRAFT RESPONDED TO THE THREE CALLS AND BOTH CONTINUED THEIR OPERATIONS. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 400 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RWY 31. THE AIRPLANES CAME TO REST ABOUT 1300 FEET DOWN THE RWY IN A GRASSY AREA BTW THE TAXIWAY. BOTH A/C BURNED. THE M-20 LEFT OUTBOARD WING PANEL WAS STRUCK SEVERAL TIMES BY THE C-185 PROPELLER BLADES. THE C-185 VERTICAL FIN WAS DEFLECTED LEFT OF IT'S INSTALLED POSITION.
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 for the Cessna 185D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 152 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 148° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from MIV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Mooney M20C from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,542 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-ASA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
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.