What Happened on March 31, 1986

• 167 die when Mexicana Airlines Boeing 727 crashes
• 48th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Louisville beats Duke, 72-69; first tournament to use a shot clock (initially set at 45 seconds)
• English Hampton Court palace badly damaged by fire, 1 dead

• Six metropolitan county councils are abolished in England.

• Cveta Majtanović, Serbian singer, winner of Pop Idol

• Jerry Paris, American director (Happy Days) and actor (The Dick Van Dyke Show- "Jerry"), dies at 60
• O'Kelly Isley, American singer (Isley Brothers), dies of a heart attack at 48

Holidays: Easter Monday (Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom)

• #1 Song: Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
• #1 Song: Living Doll - Cliff Richard & The Young Ones Featuring Hank B Marvin