Grumman G-73 accident near St. Croix, October 28, 1986
On October 28, 1986 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Grumman G-73, registered N604SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Croix. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed, 5 people were seriously injured and 9 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1986 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- St. Croix
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 5 people were seriously injured and 9 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-73 · all G-73s on the register
- Registration
- N604SS · no longer on the register · serial S-4
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS LOST AILERON CONTROL SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE IN A LEFT TURN. THE LEFT TURNING TENDENCIES OF THE ACFT COULD NOT BE CORRECTED AND THE ACFT CRASH LANDED IN THE CARRIBEAN SEA. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE LEFT AILERON CONTROL CABLE WAS TRAPPED WITHIN A BUNDLE OF ELECTRICAL WIRES AND CABLES. THIS OCCURRED WHEN AN ELECTRICAL CABLE FROM A REVERSE CURRENT RELAY IN THE RIGHT WING TO THE MAIN JUNCTION BOX IN THE LEFT CABIN AREA AT THE CENTER WING WAS CHANGED AND SECURED. THE AILERON CABLE CHAFED THROUGH THE PROTECTIVE COVER OF THE LARGE ELECTRICAL CABLE. WHEN CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE METAL ELECTRICAL CABLE THE AILERON CABLE ARCHED AT SEVERAL POINTS AND SEPARATED AT TWO DIFFERENT POINTS CAUSING A LOSS OF AILERON CONTROL.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,340 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 10,055 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 12,750 lb
- Seats: 17
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340-S1H1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSB Christiansted at 1:14 pm
- Destination: SPB St. Thomas
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from STX, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 5 | 7 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA87FA013.