Miami International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miami, Florida 33159
Friday, September 25, 1987 13:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAXI TO THE END OF RUNWAY 27R AND POSITIONED SO THE TAIL WAS OUT IN THE OVERRUN AREA. WITNESSES FURTHER STATED THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO TAKE AN OVERLY LONG TAKEOFF ROLL BEFORE LIFTING OFF. AFTER LIFT OFF, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP VERTICALLY, CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FEET, ROLLED LEFT INVERTED, CRASHED TO THE GROUND IN A DIVE ON A HEADING OF 035 DEGREES AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS 955 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND THE CG WAS 14.5 INCHES AFT OF THE MOST REARWARD LIMIT. THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE FORM HAD BEEN ALTERED TO INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN LIMITS FOR WEIGHT AND BALANCE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. EXAMINATION OF FAA RECORDS REVEALED AIR CARGO AMERICA HAD BEEN CITED FOR NUMEROUS BREACHES OF FEDERAL AIR REGULATIONS AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND HAD A HISTORY OF SUSPENSIONS/REVOCATIONSOF HIS PILOT AIRMAN IN CERTIFICATE. A PILOT OF AIR CARGO AMERICA REPORTED THE COMPANY PRESSURED THEIR PILOTS TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT OUTSIDE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL AIR REGULATIONS. FAA WAS NOTIFIED OF THESE PRACTICES IN 1985.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1355
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIAMI
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33159
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MIAMI INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1405 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1567
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1405
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34800
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N76Q
NTSB Number MIA87FA259
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model D18S
Aircraft Series Identifier D18S
Aircraft Serial Number AF-39
Certified Max Gross Weight 10200
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 25 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 7000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARY P. BARTEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2790 DAY AVE. P.O. BOX 331215
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33133
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR CARGO AMERICA, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 52-3537
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33152
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1354
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FMY
Destination City FT. MYERS
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 27R
Runway Length 10500
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --