North American AT-6D accident near Truckee, California, June 22, 1986
On June 22, 1986 at about 11:10 pm local time, a North American AT-6D, registered N29936, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 22, 1986 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6D · all AT-6Ds on the register
- Registration
- N29936 · no longer on the register · serial 49-2912
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AIR SHOW 3 NORTH AMERICAN, AT-6, ACFT TOOK OFF IN WHAT THE PLT OF THE 3RD ACFT DESCRIBED AS 'STAGGERED' SEQUENCE. A WITNESS DESCRIBED THE DEPARTURES AS BEING 'INFORMATION' OR IN 'CLOSE PROXIMITY' TO EACH OTHER. THE FIRST 2 ACFT GAINED ALTITUDE WITHOUT ANY REPORTED DIFFICULTY. THE 3RD ACFT CLIMBED TO ABT 25 FT AGL & ENCOUNTERED VORTEX TURBULENCE. THE ACFT VIOLENTLY ROLLED TO THE RIGHT & THEN TO THE LEFT. THE PLT LOST CONTROL & THE ACFT DESCENDED UNTIL IT CRASHED ONTO THE RWY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,060 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 864 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,007 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 1986; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 11:10 pm
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 6,401 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:40 pm from TRK
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.
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.