Piper PA-31T accident near Jacksonville, Florida, January 10, 1986
On January 10, 1986 at about 2:26 am local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered N700CM, was destroyed in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 10, 1986 · about 2:26 am local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N700CM · registry record · serial 31T782007
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 7 APCH, THE PLT WAS TOLD TO MAINT 3000' & ADVISED HE WAS FLWG A BOEING 727. THE MIN APCH ALT BFR INTERCEPTING THE ILS GLIDE SLOPE (G/S) AT THE FINAL APCH FIX/OUTER MARKER (OM) WAS 1900'. AS THE ACFT WAS APCHG THE OM, THE PLT WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH & WAS HANDED OFF TO THE TWR. AFTER CONTACTING THE TWR, THE PLT WAS TOLD TO DSCND AS PUBLISHED. AT APRX THAT TIME, THE TWR CONTROLLER (CTLR) & HIS SUPERVISOR DISCUSSED N700CM'S ALT & PROXIMITY TO THE 727. THE CTLR WAS GOING TO DISCONTINUE THE APCH, BUT HIS SUPVR SUGGESTED HE WAIT & SEE IF IT WOULD WORK OUT. SUBSEQUENTLY, N700CM CRASHED INTO TREES APRX 5800' SHORT OF THE RWY WHILE DSCNDG IN A WINGS LVL ATTITUDE. RADAR DATA SHOWED N700CM WAS WELL ABV THE ILS G/S WHEN CLRD FOR THE APCH. ATC PROCEDURES REQD THE ACFT TO BE BLO THE G/S BFR BEING CLRD. ALSO, N700CM WAS APRX 2.57 MI BEHIND THE 727, BUT STAYED WELL ABV THE 727'S FLT PATH (& POSSIBLE WAKE TURBULENCE) UNTIL MOMENTS BFR IMPACT. N700CM ENTERED AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DSCNT BFR GOING BLO THE G/S.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,710 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,620 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Peachtree City Leasing, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 4AZ Hampton GA at 1:18 am
- Destination: JAX Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 am from JAX, 2 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.