Piper PA-31 accident near Miami Lakes, Florida, January 26, 1983
On January 26, 1983 at about 5:39 pm local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N9003Y, was destroyed in an accident near Miami Lakes, Florida (Opa Locka airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- January 26, 1983 · about 5:39 pm local time
- Place
- Miami Lakes, 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-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N9003Y · no longer on the register · serial 31-7
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & A PROSPECTIVE BUYER/PASSENGER WERE ON A LOCAL DEMONSTRATION FLT. PRIOR TO THIS FLT, THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR NEARLY 1 YR. SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION ON 1/12/82, IT HAD BEEN FLOWN ONLY 66 HRS. DURING THE PREFLT, THE PLT FOUND THE FUEL TANKS BETWEEN 1/4 FULL & EMPTY. THE SUMPS WERE DRAINED, THE MAIN TANKS WERE FILLED, THEN THE SUMPS WERE DRAINED AGAIN. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT LEVELED THE ACFT AT 1500 FT IN A CRUISE CONFIGURATION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE LEFT ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, BACKFIRING & LOSING POWER. THE PLT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, BUT THE ENG LOST ALL POWER & THE PROP WAS FEATHERED. WHILE RETURNING, THE RIGHT ENG'S CYLINDER HEAD & OIL TEMP BEGAN RISING ABOVE THE RED LINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT BEGAN LOSING POWER & A WHEELS-UP, FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT BOTH ENGS WERE OUT OF TIME, FIRING WAS INTERMITTENT 1 DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK ON THE LEFT ENG WAS BURNEDDUE TO INCORRECT TIMING. ALSO, THE LEFT TURBOCHARGER GATE WAS STUCK OPEN & THE LEFT FUEL FILTER WAS PARTIALLY CLOGGED.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,717 hours in all; 217 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 1,592 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,312 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 1983; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TSIP-540 A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:47 pm from OPF, 3 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.