Cessna 340A accident near Washington, District of Columbia, May 17, 1986
On May 17, 1986 at about 11:17 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N6828P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, District of Columbia (Washington National airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. 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 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 17, 1986 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, District of Columbia · Washington National · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N6828P · registry record · serial 340A1226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS REPORTEDLY TOO HIGH TO LAND ON THE RWY INITIALLY ASSIGNED BY ATC. ATC DIRECTED THE ACFT TO FLY OVER THE ARPT AND ENTER DOWNWIND TRAFFIC FOR ANOTHER RWY. THE PLT WAS LATER ASKED BY ATC IF HE COULD MAKE A SHORT APCH AND HE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. THE ACFT MADE A HARD LDG ABOUT 300 FT PAST THE RWY NUMBERS. BOTH MAIN LDG GEAR TIRES DEFLATED, AND THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE NACELLES AND INBOARD WING AREAS. THE NOSE GEAR AREA OF THE ACFT APPEARED UNDAMAGED. THE PILOT LATER REPORTED THAT HE HAD FLARED THE ACFT AT ABOUT 5 TO 7 FT ABV THE RWY AND 100 FT PAST THE THRESHOLD WHEN THE ACFT '..SUDDENLY WAS SUCKED TO (THE) GROUND.'
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,485 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 1,485 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 391 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 1985; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,025 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAG Niagra Falls NY at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 5,189 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:17 pm from DCA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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 BFO86LA025.