Smith, Ted Aerostar 601P accident near Jacksonville, Florida, November 5, 1986
On November 5, 1986 at about 1:24 am local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar 601P, registered N8002J, was destroyed in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- November 5, 1986 · about 1:24 am local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar 601P
- Registration
- N8002J · registry record · serial 61P-0499-198
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER AND OIL PRESSURE. HE STATED THAT HE THEN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND FEATHERED THE PROPELLER. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DESCENDED TO LAND. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND SELECTED FULL FLAPS TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THE AIRSPEED DECAYED AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ROLL AND YAW TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUEDNTLY, IT CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE, THEN PARTIALLY CARTWHEELED BEFORE COMING TO REST. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT A TURBO- CHARGER OIL SEAL HAD DETERIORATED & FAILED, ALLOWING OIL TO ESCAPE THROUGH THE TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF THE BEGINNING OF PROGRESSIVE FAILURE OF THE TURBOCHARGER. ALSO, THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT FULLY FEATHERED AND THAT IT WAS WINDMILLING AT IMPACT. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT HE MAY HAVE MOVED THE LEFT PROP CONTROL OUT OF THE FEATHER POSITION BY MISTAKE.
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: 4,180 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,435 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 18, 1986; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHS Charleston SC at 11:45 pm
- Destination: APF Naples FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 3 knots, gusting 3
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 am from JAX
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.