North American F-86 accident near Salinas, California, October 6, 1996
On October 6, 1996 at about 6:45 pm local time, a North American F-86, registered N186SE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salinas, California (Salinas Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an internal failure of a hydraulic pump, which resulted in contamination in the hydraulic system and subsequent loss of the braking system. Factors related to the accident included the proximity of a fence and rough/uneven terrain adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1996 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American F-86 · all F-86s on the register
- Registration
- N186SE · no longer on the register · serial 001
- 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, the pilot made several uneventful flybys, then landed near the beginning of the runway. During rollout, the pilot noted a hydraulic brake system failure. Unable to stop with only unboosted brakes, the airplane overran the departure end of the 5,005 foot runway and collided with a fence and rough terrain. Investigation revealed the engine driven #3 system auxiliary hydraulic boost pump had failed internally. Metal particles were found in its screen.
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, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 27,043 hours in all; 435 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 16,183 as pilot in command; 1,519 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1996; 7 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge J47-27 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNS at 6:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,005 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from SNS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.