Boeing 727-231 incident near Norfolk, Virginia, November 16, 1986
On November 16, 1986 at about 4:03 pm local time, a Boeing 727-231, registered N64323, suffered minor damage in an incident near Norfolk, Virginia (Norfolk airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 23 others were 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1986 · about 4:03 pm local time
- Place
- Norfolk, Virginia · Norfolk · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 23 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-231 · all 727-231s on the register
- Registration
- N64323 · registry record · serial 20098
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE R MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES DURING EVACUATION OF THE ACFT. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED THAT THE SHOCK STRUT CYLINDER FRACTURED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY; ABOUT 10 INCHES BELOW THE TOP OF THE CYLINDER. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING FATIGUE CRACKING.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 170,600 lb
- Seats: 195
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Trans World Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: DCA Washington DC
- Destination: ORF Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 3,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:07 pm from ORF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 23 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N64323 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.