Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A accident near Indiantown, Florida, August 5, 1986
On August 5, 1986 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A (helicopter), registered N9086T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indiantown, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 5, 1986 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Indiantown, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A TOMCAT MK5
- Registration
- N9086T · no longer on the register · serial CCI-78-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AERIAL APPLICATION HELICOPTER CRASHED JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF AFTER SUSTAINING A POWER FAILURE, THE PLT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN FUEL STARVATION SINCE HE HAD OBSERVED SOME FOREIGN MATTER IN THE FUEL WHEN HE DRAINED THE SUMP DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT. A POST ACCIDENT EXAM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FUEL ODOR OR FUEL SPILL IN OR AROUND THE CRASH SITE. ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE GASCOLATOR. THERE WAS NO FUEL PRESENT IN THE TANK ALTHOUGH THE FUEL TANK WAS ON ITS SIDE AND THE CAP WAS MISSING FROM THE TANK. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY WATER OR FOREIGN MATTER WAS DETECTED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FLT WAS OPERATING CONTRA TO FAR PART 137, IN THAT THE OPERATOR DID NOT HAVE A FAA CERTIFICATE FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,927 hours in all; 76 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 4,195 as pilot in command; 1,301 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,953 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 25, 1986; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Glades Ground Spraying,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PBI, 38 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.
Other NTSB records under N9086T 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.