Piper PA28-151 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, August 15, 1986
On August 15, 1986 at about 6:54 pm local time, a Piper PA28-151, registered N4539X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Craig Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- August 15, 1986 · about 6:54 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Craig Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-151 · all PA28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N4539X · registry record · serial 28-7615026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG SPUTTERED AND LOST POWER. HE LANDED THE ACFT IN THE GRASS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 31, ROLLED APRX 100 YARDS, STRUCK A SIGN, AND VEERED LEFT INTO SOFT DIRT COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. POST CRASH EXAMINATION AND COMPLETE RUNUP REVEALED THAT THE ENG RAN GOOD AT ALL POWER SETTINGS WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED.
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: 90 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,586 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 26, 1986; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 D36 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northeast Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,007 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from JAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.