Douglas DC-9-31 and Grumman F-14A incident near Calverton, New York, May 30, 1986
On May 30, 1986 at about 6:54 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Douglas DC-9-31 (N1310T) and Grumman F-14A (USN), were involved in the same incident near Calverton, New York. No one was hurt; 69 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1986 · about 6:54 pm local time
- Place
- Calverton, New York · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 69 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N1310T · no longer on the register · serial 47487
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Grumman F-14A
- Registration
- USN · no longer on the register · serial 537
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Douglas DC-9-31 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N1031T A DC-9-31, WAS IN A DESCENT FOR LANDING AT JAMAICA, NY. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED HE HEARD A NOISE THAT HE THOUGHT WAS A FAILING CABIN DOOR PRESSURE SEAL AND ADVISED THE COPILOT. THE COPILOT INDICATED HE THOUGHT THE NOISE WAS THE SOUNDOF A JET ENG. BETWEEN 1453 AND 1455, THE CREW OF N1031T OBSERVED A GRUMMAN F-14A, USN 'MANEUVER ABOVE AND AROUND' THEIR AIRCRAFT. N1031T WAS ON A HEADING OF 275 DEG AND USN WAS ON A HEADING OF 250 DEG. N1031T TURNED APPROX 15 DEG RIGHT AND USN BANKED RIGHT AND DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW. NO OTHER EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY 1031T AND IT LANDED AT JFK AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. USN LANDED AT CALVERTON AND REPORTED HE OBSERVED NO CONFLICTING TRAFFIC. NEW YORK ARTCC AND NEW YORK TRACON RECORDED DATA DISCLOSED BETWEEN 1454:00 AND 1454:35 MINIMUM HORIZONTAL SEPARATION OF .7 NAUTICAL MILES OCCURRED AT 13200 FEET AND MINIMUM VERTICAL SEPARATION OF 200 FEET OCCURRED AT 12900 FEET.
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 Grumman F-14A final · quoted from the NTSB record
N1031T A DC-9-31, WAS IN A DESCENT FOR LANDING AT JAMAICA, NY. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED HE HEARD A NOISE THAT HE THOUGHT WAS A FAILING CABIN DOOR PRESSURE SEAL AND ADVISED THE COPILOT. THE COPILOT INDICATED HE THOUGHT THE NOISE WAS THE SOUNDOF A JET ENG. BETWEEN 1453 AND 1455, THE CREW OF N1031T OBSERVED A GRUMMAN F-14A, USN 'MANEUVER ABOVE AND AROUND' THEIR AIRCRAFT. N1031T WAS ON A HEADING OF 275 DEG AND USN WAS ON A HEADING OF 250 DEG. N1031T TURNED APPROX 15 DEG RIGHT AND USN BANKED RIGHT AND DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW. NO OTHER EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY N1031T AND IT LANDED AT JFK AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. USN LANDED AT CALVERTON AND REPORTED HE OBSERVED NO CONFLICTING TRAFFIC. NEW YORK ARTCC AND NEW YORK TRACON RECORDED DATA DISCLOSED BETWEEN 1454:00 AND 1454:35 MINIMUM HORIZONTAL SEPARATION OF .7 NAUTICAL MILES OCCURRED AT 13200 FEET AND MINIMUM VERTICAL SEPARATION OF 200 FEET OCCURRED AT 12900 FEET.
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 Douglas DC-9-31 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45,035 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 108,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: JFK Jamaica NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from CTO, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 62 |
The factual record for the Grumman F-14A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: military
- Flight time: 3,483 hours in all; 1,261 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 50,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W TF-30-P414A (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CTO
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 BFO86IA031.