Cessna 182E and Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fishers Island, New York, October 16, 1986
On October 16, 1986 at about 7:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 182E (N2830Y) and Piper PA-28-181 (N3962M), were involved in the same accident near Fishers Island, New York (Elizabeth Field). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- October 16, 1986 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fishers Island, New York · Elizabeth Field
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 182E · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N2830Y · no longer on the register · serial 18253830
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3962M · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890344
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 182E final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 182 TAKING OFF ON RWY 25 COLLIDED WITH A PIPER PA-28-181 WHICH WAS LANDING ON RWY 12. THE COLLISION OCCURRED IN THE INTERSECTION OF THE TWO RUNWAYS. THE TWO OCCUPANTS OF THE CESSNA WERE SEROUSLY INJURED AND THE TWO OCCUPANTS OF THE PIPER WERE FATALLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. NO RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE HEARD FROM THE PIPER PRIOR TO LANDING. THE CESSNA PILOT WAS HEARD TO HAVE TRANSMITTED HIS INTENTIONS TO TAKEOFF ON UNICOM FREQUENCY BUT WAS NOT OBSERVED TO MAKE A CLEARING 360 GROUND TURN PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. HIGH TERRAIN PREVENTS A PILOT ON THE GROUND AT RWY 25 FROM SEEING THE APPROACH END OF RWY 12. THE PASS'G ON THE PIPER, WHO WAS A PRIVATE PLT WAS DOCUMENTED AS BEING REMOVED FROM THE LEFT FRONT SEAT OF THE ACFT. THE PIPER ALSO FLEW AN INCORRECT TRAFFIC PATTERN ACCORDING TO WITNESSES.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-181 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 182 TAKING OFF ON RWY 25 COLLIDED WITH A PIPER PA-28-181 WHICH WAS LANDING ON RWY 12. THE COLLISION OCCURED IN THE INTERSECTION OF THE TWO RUNWAYS. THE TWO OCCUPANTS OF THE CESSNA WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THE TWO OCCUPANTS OF THE PIPER WERE FATALLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. NO RADIO TRANSMISSION WERE HEARD FROM THE PIPER PRIOR TO LANDING. THE CESSNA PILOT WAS HEARD TO HAVE TRANSMITTED HIS INTENTIONS TO TAKEOFF ON UNICOM FREQUENCY BUT WAS NOT OBSERVED TO MAKE A CLEARING 360 GROUND TURN PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. HIGH TERRAIN PREVENTS A PILOT ON THE GROUND AT RWY 25 FROM SEEING THE APPROACH END OF RWY 12. THE PASS'G ON THE PIPER, WHO WAS A PRIVATE PLT, WAS DOCUMENTED AS BEING REMOVED FROM THE LEFT FRONT SEAT OF THE ACFT. THE PIPER ALSO FLEW AN INCORRECT TRAFFIC PATTERN ACCORDING TO WITNESSES.
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 for the Cessna 182E from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 81 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 35 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,990 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1986; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: R103 Westerly RI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,054 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from OB8
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-181 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 18,000 in this make and model; 214 in the last 90 days; 24,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,472 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 9, 1986; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-04M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GON Groton CT at 7:12 pm
- Destination: OBS Fisher Island NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,850 ft by 150 ft
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.