Piper PA-28-140 accident near Miami, Florida, September 30, 1982
On September 30, 1982 at about 6:12 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N921C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1982 · about 6:12 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N921C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7625059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ENGINE QUIT WHILE CRUISING AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SWAMP. #3 CYL EXHAUST VALVE HEAD FAILED. A SECTION OF THE FAILED VALVE HEAD TRAVELLED THROUGH THE INDUCTION SYSTEM INTO THE #2 CYLINDER DAMAGING BOTH SPARK PLUGS RENDERING THE CYLINDER INOPERATIVE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 589 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 372 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,224 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL at 12:20 pm
- Destination: BCT Boca Raton FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 183°F (84°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from MIA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.