Piper PA-44-180 accident near Opa Locka, Florida, March 6, 2005
On March 6, 2005 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N21427, was substantially damaged in an accident near Opa Locka, Florida (Opa Locka airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The dual student's improper descent rate during a simulated engine failure and simulated forced landing and the CFI's inadequate remedial action which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2005 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Opa Locka, Florida · Opa Locka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N21427 · registry record · serial 44-7995050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The CFI stated they were conducting instrument approaches and landings at Opa Locka Airport. During a takeoff, he gave his student the indication of a simulated engine failure, the student then retarded the throttles and initiated a descent to land. While on descent, the CFI and dual student noticed a higher than normal descent rate and both corrected by adding back pressure on the control column and adding engine power. After touchdown the instructor heard an abnormal noise and decided to taxi to the ramp. Once the airplane was secure, the CFI conducted an inspection and found damage to the fuselage and terminated the flight. The pilots stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
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
- HARD LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
Flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, AME, ASE, IAIR, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,589 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,451 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 28, 2004
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN
- Flight time: 245 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,407.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 8, 2005; 55.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Avco Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Avco Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: HWV Pembroke FL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: OPF Opa Locka FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9L, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°C, dew point 52°C
- Altimeter: 30.120001 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from OPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N21427 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA05CA072.