Boeing 737-400 incident near Miami, Florida, August 31, 2006
On August 31, 2006 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Boeing 737-400, registered N425US, suffered minor damage in an incident near Miami, Florida (Miami International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 118 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent application of the left brakes at touchdown. Contributing to the incident was insufficient information in the quick reference handbook on the loss of touchdown protection with an inoperative anti-skid system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2006 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 118 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-400 · all 737-400s on the register
- Registration
- N425US · no longer on the register · serial 23992
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
With the flightcrew aware that the anti-skid system was inoperative, the flight departed. Once near the destination airport, the flightcrew requested the longest runway for landing, which was granted. Prior to the landing, the flightcrew performed normal cockpit duties, and discussed the inoperative anti-skid system. About 2 seconds after touchdown, the left main tires blew. The local controller advised the flightcrew that the airplane was trailing smoke, and after the airplane came to a stop, the captain initiated an evacuation. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear outboard and inboard tires, wheels, and brakes were ground away, and, other than the source of the inoperative anti-skid system warning, the examination did not reveal any failures or malfunctions. Examination of data retrieved from the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) did not reveal any system failures or malfunctions that would have affected the handling or braking characteristics of the airplane, except for the inoperative anti-skid system. With the anti-skid system disabled, the pilot flying could prematurely apply braking during touchdown causing a wheel to lock and the associated tires to blow. The quick reference handbook (QRH) stated that "after landing use minimum braking consistent with runway" and the minimum equipment list (MEL) stated "brake with caution." However, even though the QRH and MEL did provide general information, both documents did not provide specific information on the affects of an inoperative anti-skid system on spoiler deployment and/or touchdown protection.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,832 hours in all; 6,205 in this make and model; 245 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 6,205 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,800 hours in all; 6,300 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 1,074 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,826 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 1, 2006; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 143,000 lb
- Seats: 150
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm International 56-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCLT Charlotte NC at 3:35 pm
- Destination: KMIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 13,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 113 |
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.