Opa-Locka Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Opa-Locka, Florida 33054
Thursday, June 1, 1995 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN PARKED AT LEAST 16 DAYS WITH THE INBOARD FUEL TANKS ABOUT 1/3 FULL BEFORE BEING FILLED THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. AFTER DEPARTING, THE FLIGHT RETURNED REPORTING THAT THE FLAPS WERE NOT OPERATIONAL AND THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. A MECHANIC WHO HAD RECENTLY WORKED ON THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM OPERATIONALLY CHECKED THE FLAPS MORE THAN 10 TIMES WITH NO DISCREPENCIES NOTED. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT PLACED ON JACKS FOR AN OPERATIONAL TEST OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED, AND DURING INITIAL CLIMB THE PILOT ADVISED THE ATC CONTROLLER OF A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO BANK LEFT, PITCH NOSE DOWN, AND IMPACT THE GROUND. WATER WAS DETECTED AT THE FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES AND FUEL MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY OF SEVERAL CYLINDERS OF THE LEFT ENGINE. NO EVIDENCE OF WATER CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND BY OPERATORS OF OTHER AIRPLANES FUELED FROM THE SAME SOURCE. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED, THE FLAPS WERE PARTIALLY EXTENDED AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS FULLY EXTENDED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL, THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, AND HIS INTENTIONAL OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE AND HIS SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO ACCOMPLISH THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OPA-LOCKA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33054
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OPA-LOCKA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OPF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 45
Airport Elevation 9
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1231 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID OPF
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1295
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1246
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5832Y
NTSB Number MIA95FA141
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-2981
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 11 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 5200
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSE A. PETIT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 230 S. ROYAL POINCIANA BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI SPRING
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33166
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OPF
Departure City MIAMI
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1229
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MYA
Destination City CONGO TOWN
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --