Cessna 401 accident near Silver City, New Mexico, March 14, 1986
On March 14, 1986 at about 2:07 am local time, a Cessna 401, registered N9867F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silver City, New Mexico (Whiskey Creek airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- March 14, 1986 · about 2:07 am local time
- Place
- Silver City, New Mexico · Whiskey Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401 · all 401s on the register
- Registration
- N9867F · no longer on the register · serial 401
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 2 COM RATED PLTS WERE RETURNING FROM A PART 135 FLT AT NIGHT. THE FUEL TANKS WERE INADVERTENTLY NOT SWITCHED FROM MAINS TO AUX. FUEL STARVATION OCCURRED WHEN ACFT WAS AT LOW ALTITUDE. INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE REMAINED TO RESTART THE ENGINES. ACFT IMPACTED GROUND. A POST ACCIDENT FIRE ERUPTED DESTROYING THE ACFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,400 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 171 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,990 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 18, 1986; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Flying A Flight Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 2:10 am
- Destination: 94E Silver City NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,700 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N9867F 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.