Canadair F-86E accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey, June 19, 1999
On June 19, 1999 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Canadair F-86E, registered N186JC, was destroyed in an accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey (South Jersey Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure in the fuel transfer system which resulted in fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1999 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Holly, New Jersey · South Jersey Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair F-86E · all F-86Es on the register
- Registration
- N186JC · no longer on the register · serial 1600
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed several passes before attempting a low and slow pass. As the airplane slowed it started to sink. The airplane's pitch attitude increased, and power was applied, followed by a muffled bang. The airplane then rolled right, and impacted the ground in a nose low attitude. The aft fuselage pump, and fuel level transmitter were not examined due to location in the wreckage, and impact damage. Examination of the rest of the airplane revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. The pilot had approximately 50 hours in the accident airplane's make and model. The airplane had approximately 1,360 pounds of fuel onboard at engine start. The pilot requested 340 pounds of fuel, but then changed his mind. The airplane burned between 83.3 and 100 pounds of fuel per minute while performing at airshows. According to the Aircraft Operating Instructions, the possibility of fuel starvation existed when there was a failure of the aft fuselage pump or fuel level transmitter, and the airplane was in a climb attitude with less than 500 pounds of fuel. The pilot would not have any cockpit indications of a failure of the aft fuselage pump or the fuel level transmitter.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 6,950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,907 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 28, 1999; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 20,610 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Orenda 14 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VAY at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,911 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from VAY
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.