Rawdon T1 accident near North Miami Bch, Florida, May 27, 2000
On May 27, 2000 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Rawdon T1, registered N2706D, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Miami Bch, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to change the fuel selector position after experiencing surging of the engine. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the incorrect reading of the left fuel gauge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2000 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- North Miami Bch, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rawdon T1 · all T1s on the register
- Registration
- N2706D · no longer on the register · serial T1-26
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the engine began surging. The pilot reportedly turned on both auxiliary fuel pumps and both selector valves, dropped the banner, and made a precautionary landing in an open field. During the landing roll he maneuvered the airplane to avoid pedestrians and the left wing collided with a tree. Postaccident examination of the airplane indicated the left tank was empty and the right tank contained approximately 9 gallons; the left fuel quantity indicator was not indicating empty. Postaccident, the engine was started and operated normally; no discrepancies were noted.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 18,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,412 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 2000; 2 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Hollywood FL at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from MIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2706D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.