Piper PA-31-325 and Cessna 152 mid-air collision near Mansfield, Massachusetts, October 30, 1986
On October 30, 1986 at about 8:02 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-31-325 (N200GG) and Cessna 152 (N5535H), were involved in a mid-air collision near Mansfield, Massachusetts. 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt. 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 30, 1986 · about 8:02 pm local time
- Place
- Mansfield, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-31-325 · all PA-31-325s on the register
- Registration
- N200GG · no longer on the register · serial 31-7512022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5535H · no longer on the register · serial 15284120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-31-325 final · quoted from the NTSB record
PIPER PA-31, N200GG, WAS ON A VFR FLT TO BOSTON, MA. THE PA-31 PLT CONTACTED BOSTON TRACON & ADZD HE HAD ATIS INFO & WOULD BE LNDG AT BOSTON. TRACON SUGGESTED A HDG & ALT OF 070 DEG & 2500' FOR RWY 33R & TOLD THE PLT TO MAINT VFR. AT APRX THE SAME TIME, A STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A LCL INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT IN THE AREA. THE STUDENT WAS IN THE L SEAT, WEARING A VIEW LIMITING DEVICE. THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED IN VFR WX & COLLIDED AT APRX 2600'. THE PA-31 WAS ON A NE HDG; THE CESSNA WAS ON A NW HDG. DRG IMPACT, THE TOP OF THE PA-31'S VERTICAL STABILIZER HIT THE LWR LEFT SIDE OF THE CESSNA'S FUSELAGE, INJURING THE STUDENT'S L LEG & DAMAGING THE CESSNA'S RGT MAIN GEAR. BOTH ACFT LNDD SAFELY, EXCEPT THECESSNA SWERVED OFF THE RWY DRG THE LNDG ROLL. THE PA-31 WAS SQUAWKING CODE 4640 WITH MODE C (ALT RPRTG). THE CESSNA WAS TRANSPONDER EQUIPPED, BUT DID NOT HAVE MODE C CAPABILITY. ITS TRANSPONDER WAS SET AT 1200, BUT WAS ACTUALLY SQUAWKING 1270. THE RADAR CTLR WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CESSNA AS POTENTIAL CONFLICT. NO RADIO CONTACT BTN THE CESSNA & TRACON.
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 Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
PIPER PA-31, N200GG, WAS ON A VFR FLT TO BOSTON, MA. THE PA-31 PLT CONTACTED BOSTON TRACON & ADZD HE HAD ATIS INFO & WOULD BE LNDG AT BOSTON. TRACON SUGGESTED A HDG & ALT OF 070 DEG & 2500' FOR RWY 33R & TOLD THE PLT TO MAINT VFR. AT APRX THE SAME TIME, A STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A LCL INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT IN THE AREA. THE STUDENT WAS IN THE L SEAT, WEARING A VIEW LIMITING DEVICE. THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED IN VFR WX & COLLIDED AT APRX 2600'. THE PA-31 WAS ON A NE HDG; THE CESSNA WAS ON A NW HDG. DRG IMPACT, THE TOP OF THE PA-31'S VERTICAL STABILIZER HIT THE LWR LEFT SIDE OF THE CESSNA'S FUSELAGE, INJURING THE STUDENT'S L LEG & DAMAGING THE CESSNA'S RGT MAIN GEAR. BOTH ACFT LNDD SAFELY, EXCEPT THECESSNA SWERVED OFF THE RWY DRG THE LNDG ROLL. THE PA-31 WAS SQUAWKING CODE 4640 WITH MODE C (ALT RPRTG). THE CESSNA WAS TRANSPONDER EQUIPPED, BUT DID NOT HAVE MODE C CAPABILITY. ITS TRANSPONDER WAS SET AT 1200, BUT WAS ACTUALLY SQUAWKING 1270. THE RADAR CTLR WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CESSNA AS POTENTIAL CONFLICT. NO RADIO CONTACT BTN THE CESSNA & TRACON.
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 Piper PA-31-325 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 21,850 hours in all; 2,183 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 21,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,542 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 19, 1986; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVD Providence RI at 7:45 pm
- Destination: BOS Boston MA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from OWD, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 544 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 471 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,863 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 17, 1986; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation East, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MA07 Norfolk MA at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.