Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Opa-Locka, Florida, November 6, 2005
On November 6, 2005 at about 9:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4652J, 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; 3 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 pilot-in-command/CFI to maintain control of the airplane and his inattentiveness to the altitude while troubleshooting the landing gear system resulting in the in-flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2005 · about 9:13 pm local time
- Place
- Opa-Locka, Florida · Opa Locka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4652J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30546
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During climbout after takeoff while flying at an airspeed greater than 80 mph, the certified flight instructor (CFI) and pilot rated student reported that the landing gear would not retract. The CFI checked the cockpit trying to troubleshoot the problem and after looking outside, realized the airplane was very low. The airplane impacted grass on the north side of the runway causing the left main landing gear to separate and the nose and right main landing gears to collapse. The airplane came to rest upright and a small postcrash fire damaged the rear portion of the engine. Examination of the airplane following recovery revealed the landing gear selector handle was in the up position, and only the landing light circuit breaker was tripped/popped. Testing of the diaphragm of the landing gear auto extend system revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. When electrical power was applied to the airplane and the landing gear selector handle was placed in the down position, components of the landing gears moved towards the down position. The airplane "Owner's Handbook" indicates the pressure sensing device in the landing gear system prevents "...the gear from retracting at airspeeds below approximately 85 mph with full power, though the selector switch may be in the up position. This speed increases with reduced power and/or increased altitude." The handbook also indicates, "Manual override of the device is provided by an emergency gear lever located between the front seats to the left of the flap handle. The emergency gear lever, when held in the raised position, can be used to override the system, and gear position is controlled by the selector switch regardless of airspeed/power combinations."
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 4 in the last 90 days; 411 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 49 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,588.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2005; 89.0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KOPF Opa-Locka FL at 9:13 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:13 pm from KOPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.