Piper PA-23-250 accident near Mt. Holly, Virginia, June 11, 1986
On June 11, 1986 at about 10:30 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6264Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Holly, Virginia (Alliance Fertilizer airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- June 11, 1986 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Mt. Holly, Virginia · Alliance Fertilizer
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6264Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-3506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF WHEN THE ACFT CONTACTED A DITCH DURING AN OVERRUN LANDING. UPON ARRIVING AT THE PVT AIRSTRIP THE PLT CIRCLED THE RWY AND DECIDED IT WAS SUITABLE FOR LANDING. TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE 400 FT DOWN THE RWY AND NORMAL DECELERATION WAS OBTAINED THROUGH THE USE OF BRAKES AND AERODYNAMIC BRAKING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT DECELERATION SLOWED AND GROUND SPEED INCREASED. THE PLT VERIFIED THROTTLES AT IDLE AND ACFT CONFIGURATION. THE ACFT TRAVELED OFF THE END OF THE RWY, CONTACTED A POST AND A DITCH, CONTINUED OVER A TWO LANE HWY AND CAME TO REST IN A SECOND DITCH. PLT WAS ORIGINALLY INFORMED THE AIRSTRIP WAS 3000 FT LONG WHEN IN ACTUALITY IT IS 2250 FT LONG. THE GRASS WAS ALSO WET FROM MORNING DEW. AN ABORTED LANDING WAS NOT PERFORMED BECAUSE OF PWR LINES AT THE END OF THE RWY. A 5 KT TAILWIND WAS PRESENT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,480 hours in all; 414 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 5,119 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,616 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bay Land Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SBY Salisbury MD at 10:05 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 2,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.