Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Tallahassee, Florida, May 16, 1986
On May 16, 1986 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4986J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee Commercial airport). It was a personal flight 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
- May 16, 1986 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · Tallahassee Commercial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4986J · registry record · serial 28R-30740
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH THE ACFT WAS BLOWN TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY WHERE THE LEFT WING STRUCK A DIRT MOUND. THE ACFT THEN SPUN TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST APRX 75 FT FROM THE EDGE OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO TRY AND SALVAGE THE LANDING DURING THE APCH INSTEAD OF GOING AROUND AS APRX 2/3 OF THE RWY LENGTH REMAINED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 97 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1986; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cherokee Ddp,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: TLH Tallahassee FL at 10:35 pm
- Destination: 68J
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from TLH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.