Piper PA28 accident near Miami, Florida, August 5, 2019
On August 5, 2019 at about 1:40 pm local time, a 1970 Piper PA28, registered N5915U, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Miami, Florida (Miami Executive airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's and student pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel system for water contamination, which resulted in a loss of engine power during takeoff and subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2019 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1970 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N5915U · registry record · serial 28-26897
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane before the local flight. All the indications were "normal" during the run up. At 150-200 ft above ground level, the engine had a partial loss of power. The instructor subsequently took over the controls; he reported that "everything" was good. During a turn to land the airplane on a parallel runway, the engine lost all power and the instructor decided to conduct a forced landing on a corn field between runways, where the airplane sustained substantial damage. An examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing fuel tank contained 16 oz of water. The gascolator bowl and carburetor contained a liquid consistent with water and fuel. It is likely that the flight instructor and student pilot did not conduct a thorough preflight inspection and did not detect and remove the water in the fuel system, which led to the loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Fuel contamination during takeoff defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,539 hours in all; 4.3 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,399 as pilot in command; 1,177 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 11, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 99.6 hours in all; 7.5 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 27, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,800 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 24, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Osorio Aviation Corp
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 1:40 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:07 pm from KTMB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on September 11, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - CFI | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Initial Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Student | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Passenger | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector's Statement - Communication Summary, J. Garcia | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photos - FAA Supplied | PDF, 18 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Miscellaneous Information - Tmb Airport Diagram | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Miscellaneous Information - Carb Icing Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.