Lockheed 382G accident near Kelly Afb, Texas, October 4, 1986
On October 4, 1986 at about 9:10 am local time, a Lockheed 382G, registered N15ST, was destroyed in an accident near Kelly Afb, Texas (Kelly Afb airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 3 people were killed. 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
- October 4, 1986 · about 9:10 am local time
- Place
- Kelly Afb, Texas · Kelly Afb
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed 382G · all 382Gs on the register
- Registration
- N15ST · registry record · serial 4391
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE ACFT LANDED AT KELLY AFB, TX, ON 10/2/86, THERE WAS A CREW CHG BFR IT DEPD ON THE NEXT FLT. DRG THE NEXT TAKE-OFF, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF NEAR THE MIDPOINT OF RWY 15 (APRX 5775' FM THE APCH END). WHEN IT WAS AT APRX 100' TO 200' AGL,WITNESSES SAW IT GO INTO AN EXTREMELY NOSE HI ATTITUDE & CLIMB ABOUT ANOTHER 500'. ALSO, THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT & CONTD ROLLING & TURNING LEFT UNTIL IT CRASHED ON THE RAMP IN A NEAR INVERTED ATTITUDE ON A HDG OF ABOUT 070 DEG. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT AN ELEVATOR CONTROL (CTL) BLOCK HAD JAMMED THE 1ST OFFICER'S (FO'S) CTL COLUMN WHEN THE ACFT TOOK OFF.THE FO OF THE PREVIOUS FLT HAD INSTALLED IT ON THE CTL COLUMN AFTER THAT FLT. THE FO OF THE ACDNT FLT HAD BEEN HIRED 6 DAYS EARLIER & MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THE DEVICE. THE BLOCK WAS DESIGNED TO KEEP THE ELEVATOR IN A FAIRED OR SLIGHTLY RAISED (TRAILING EDGE UP) POSITION FOR LOADING OPNS, BUT IT WAS NOT AN APPROVED DEVICE. THERE WAS AN UNWRITTEN PRACTICE FOR THE FO TO INSTALL & REMOVE THE DEVICE.
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
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 3,767 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45,622 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 2, 1986; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 155,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 501-D22A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Southern Air Transport
The flight
- Destination: KWRP Warner Robins GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 11,550 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:10 am from WSKF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N15ST 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.