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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1986 · about 6:54 pm local time · cases in 1986
- 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 · registered outside the United States · 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 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1310T: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Douglas DC-9 7 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Douglas 305 aircraft on the register
- Grumman 443 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: P&W TF-30-P414A · as the NTSB recorded it
- General Edward Lawrence Logan International · departed from
- John F Kennedy International · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,659 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/BFO86IA031.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.