Boeing 727-235 accident near Miami, Florida, February 17, 1982
On February 17, 1982 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Boeing 727-235, registered N4734, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Miami International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 51 others were unhurt. 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
- February 17, 1982 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 51 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-235 · all 727-235s on the register
- Registration
- N4734 · no longer on the register · serial 19454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ROLL A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD & THE TAKEOFF ABORTED. THE TOWER ADVISED THE FLT OF EXTENSIVE FIRE IN THE TAILAREA. THE PLT CLEARED THE ACTIVE RWY & THE ACFT WAS EVACUATED. 1 PAX SUFFERED A FRACTURED ANKLE & ANOTHER A SPRAINED ANKLE. AN EXPLOSION HAD OCCURRED IN THE #2 ENG DUE TO A FAILED FRONT COMPRESSOR FRONT HUB. THE MAIN FUEL SUPPLY LINE TO THE #2 ENG WAS SEVERED CAUSING THE FIRE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE HUB FRACTURED RADIALLY THROUGH THE BORE & RIM IN TWO LOCATIONS RELEASING TWO SECTIONS. FATIGUE HAD ORIGINATED AT A NONCONFORMING CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE AT THE REAR OF ONE TIE ROD HOLE. THE SURFACE OF THE GROOVE EXHIBITED A VERY ROUGH, SMEARED APPEARANCE & THERE WERE NUMEROUS AXIAL CRACKS.
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: 9,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 38,448 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 136
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MIA Miami FL
- Destination: C Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 13,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 45 |
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.