Rockwell 680FL accident near Houlton, Maine, March 15, 1986
On March 15, 1986 at about 10:50 am local time, a Rockwell 680FL, registered N287B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houlton, Maine (Houlton Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person 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
- March 15, 1986 · about 10:50 am local time
- Place
- Houlton, Maine · Houlton Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 680FL
- Registration
- N287B · no longer on the register · serial 1372-45
- 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND LANDED ON RUNWAY 5 WHICH HAD APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH OF FRESH SNOW. HE REPORTED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED WHITEOUT CONDITIONS DURING THE LANDING & LOST REFERENCE TO THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, ANGLED OFF THE LANDING AREA IN A STRAIGHT LINE & COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK. AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT, THERE WAS LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE, ICE PELLETS & FOG. THE LOCAL FSS WAS CLOSED & THERE WAS NO CURRENT WX INFO AVAILABLE TO THE PLT FOR THE DESTN ARPT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,982 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 1,834 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,495 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 12, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGR Bangor ME at 10:10 am
- Destination: HOU
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded at 800 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from HULL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.