Piper PA-28-140 accident near Miami, Florida, March 20, 1987
On March 20, 1987 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N726FL, was destroyed in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- March 20, 1987 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N726FL · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225426
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RECENTLY RATED PRIVATE PILOT TOOK THREE PASSENGERS FOR AN AIRPLANE RIDE IN HIS AIRPLANE THAT WAS OVER GROSS WEIGHT UPON DEPARTURE. DURING THE FLIGHT HE WAS PERFORMING LOW LEVEL DIVES AT TREES WITH RAPID PULL UPS. DURING THE LAST PULL UP THE AIRCRAFT WENT NAGATIVE 'G' FOR A SHORT TIME AND THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT IT DID NOT RESTART. THE CFI IN THE BACK SEAT LEANED FORWARD AND ATTEMPTED TO ASSIST THE PILOT DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK A SMALL TREE AND SUBSEQUENTLY A LARGE TREE AND CRASHED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,122 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1986; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3(H) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 10:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from TMB, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.