Airbus A320 incident near Miami, Florida, September 19, 2016
On September 19, 2016 at about 12:24 pm local time, a 1996 Airbus A320, registered P4AAA, suffered minor damage in an incident during takeoff near Miami, Florida (Miami Intl airport). It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the incorrect latching of the #2 Engine Fan Cowl following a routine maintenance check that resulted in separation of the cowl during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2016 · about 12:24 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320 232, built 1996 · all A320s on the register
- Registration
- P4AAA · no longer on the register · serial 0582
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The examination of the No. 2 Engine Fan Cowl Components showed no evidence of preexisting damage on the latches/cowls prior to the event. Further, there was no evidence of latch design failures due to the previous nights routine maintenance work. Manufactures and Regulatory Agencies have released Service Bulletins/Regulatory Actions to prevent further loss of Fan Cowl Doors. At the time of the incident, Aruba Airlines had not incorporated (due to time in service) any of the modifications proposed by the Manufacturer/Regulatory Agencies.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Return to service › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 18, 2016
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: V2527 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: V2527 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aruba Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KMIA Miami FL at 12:24 pm
- Destination: Oranjestad
- Runway 08R, 10,506 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 24, 2018. 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 | Interview Summaries | PDF, 31 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 17-002 | PDF, 14 pages | 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.