Cessna 421C accident near Tampa, Florida, November 6, 1986
On November 6, 1986 at about 3:16 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N37359, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Tampa International airport). It was a business 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
- November 6, 1986 · about 3:16 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N37359 · no longer on the register · serial 421C0652
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH BEHIND A LOCKHEED L-1011 AIRCRAFT AND WAS WARNED TO USE CAUTION AGAINST WAKE TURBULENCE. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED THE WAKE TURBULENCE OF THE L-1011 AT 1600 FEET. CONTROL COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO AN INVERTED POSITION. THE TWO PILOTS PERFORMED A 'SPLIT-S' MANEUVER AND REGAINED CONTROL AT 400 FEET. A NORMAL LANDING WAS THEN MADE. RADAR DATA REVEALED THE L-1011 CROSSED THE POINT WHERE N37359 ENCOUNTERED THE TURBULENCE 1 MINUTE AND 34 SECONDS PRIOR AT AND ALT OF 2100 FEET.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,740 hours in all; 355 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 4,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1985; 257 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18L, 8,300 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 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 3:50 pm from TPA, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.