Mcdonnell Douglas MD-83 incident near Miami, Florida, January 1, 2002
On January 1, 2002 at about 3:57 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-83, registered N9YTHQ, suffered minor damage in an incident near Miami, Florida (Miami International airport). It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). No one was hurt; 125 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the first officer to fly a stabilized approach at the correct airspeed and his failure to execute a missed approach resulting in touchdown about 5,000 feet past the runway threshold at an excessive airspeed and over run of the runway prior to stopping. Contributing to the incident was the failure of the captain to properly supervise the first officer and take corrective action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2002 · about 3:57 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 125 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-83
- Registration
- N9YTHQ · no longer on the register · serial 49488
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain stated the first officer was flying the airplane for the approach and landing. He and the first officer performed a briefing for the localizer 30 approach to Miami International Airport, prior to beginning descent. During landing on runway 30, the airplane floated for a while before touchdown, after the first officer flared for landing. After a few seconds, he, the captain, took control of the airplane during the landing roll. It appeared the airplane would over run the runway and collide with an approach light structure. The captain steered the airplane to the left side of the runway and brought it to a complete stop with the nose wheel in a sandy area. He shutdown the engines and deplaned the passengers. The airplane was then towed to the gate. Readout of the digital flight data recorder showed the decent from cruise flight to 10, 000 feet appeared normal and at 10,000 feet the airplane maintained 250 knots airspeed. During descent from 10,000 feet the airspeed began to increase, reaching over 300 knots as the airplane descended through 5,000 feet. An airspeed of over 300 knots was maintained until within 4 miles of the runway and an altitude of 1,500 feet. The airplane crossed over the runway threshold at over 100 feet, as measured by the radio altimeter, and over 200 knots airspeed, at least Vref + 70 knots. The touchdown speed was approximately 150 knots. Full wing spoilers or speed brakes were deployed from 4.5 to 2.5 miles remaining to the runway or between 1,700 and 800 feet altitude. Wing slat extension began at an altitude of 1,200 feet and 290 knot airspeed. Wing flap extension began at 900 feet and 280 knot airspeed. The landing gear was extended at 1.5 miles from the runway at an altitude of 400 feet. The ground spoilers were not deployed after landing. The airplane appears to have touched down over 5,000 feet past the runway threshold. The airplane came to rest about 90 degrees left of runway heading.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,636 hours in all; 2,022 in this make and model; 1,514 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,778 hours in all; 323 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 2,013 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37,235 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 12, 2001; 232 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 160,000 lb
- Seats: 138
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bwia West Indies Airways, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: TBPB Bridgetown at 12:30 pm
- Destination: KMIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 9,355 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KMIA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 119 |
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.
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.