Miami Internationl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miami, Florida 33166
Wednesday, December 12, 1984 19:52 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT JUDGED BY REFERENCE TO ACFT GAGES THAT HE HAD 156 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING WHEN INFACT ONLY 120 GALS OF FUEL REMAINED.ON APPROACH FOR LNDG, WHILE OPERATING ON AUX TANKS, LOW FUEL FLOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PLT SWITCHED TO MAIN TANKS AND BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER SHORTLY THEREAFTER WHILE ACFT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH. PLT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO REGAIN POWER BY SWITCHING BACK TO AUX TANKS SINCE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION INITIATED DURING AUX TANK OPERATION. RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, OTHER GEAR SEPARATED ON FORCED LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN ROUGH TERRAIN. ACFT MANUAL STATES LOW FUEL FLOW WARNING LIGHTS INDICATE CONDITION OF MAIN TANKS ONLY. PLT DID NOT UNDERSTAND THIS TO BE TRUE REGARDLESS OF TANK SELECTION. INVESTIGATION REVEALED MAIN TANKS CONTAINED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL; AUX TANKS HAD APPROX 6 GALS EACH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/12/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1952
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MIAMI
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33166
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport MIAMI INTERNATIONL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MIA
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 270
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1956 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2641
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26587
Date of most recent change to record Jul 15 2005 12:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40790
NTSB Number MIA85FA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-8152080
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 1509
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VINCENT J. FINAZZO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4451 23RD. ST.
Aircraft Owner City WYANDOTTE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48192
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOUTHERN EXPRESS AIRWAYS,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3400 N.W. 62ND AVE.
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33159
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RSW
Departure City FORT MYERS
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MIA
Destination City MIAMI
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 15 2005 12:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 9600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --