Beech 65-80 accident near Miami, Florida, September 19, 1983
On September 19, 1983 at about 8:43 pm local time, a Beech 65-80, registered N55ED, was destroyed in an accident near Miami, Florida (Opa Locka airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person 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 19, 1983 · about 8:43 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Opa Locka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65-80 · all 65-80s on the register
- Registration
- N55ED · no longer on the register · serial LD-3
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR, A FAM FLT WAS INTENDED IN THE ACFT TO BE GIVEN TO THE PLT BY ANOTHER PERSON WHO REPRESENTED HIMSELF AS A PLT. THE FLT WAS CANCELLED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT ENG. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, THE OTHER PERSON TOLD THE PLT THAT THE ENG WAS REPAIRED & THEY PROCEEDED TO CONDUCT A LOCAL TEST FLT WITH THE OTHER PERSON CONDUCTING THE TAKEOFF FROM THE LEFT SEAT. THEY REPORTEDLY SWITCHED SEATS PRIOR TO LANDING. THE APPROACH APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO LANDING. A BURST OF SOUND FROM THE ENGS WAS HEARD & THE ACFT YAWED & ROLLED LEFT. THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE GROUND & THE ACFT CARTWHEELED. THE LAST LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS IN 10/82. THE OWNER COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE OTHER PLT COULD NOT BE LOCATED & THERE IS NO RECORD OF HIM BEING ISSUED A PLT'S CERTIFICATE. DURING TEARDOWN OF THE LEFT ENG THE SERVO FUEL INJECTOR WAS FOUND RIGGED EXTREMELY LEAN AT THE IDLE STOP.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 368 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:43 pm from OPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.