Piper PA-31-350 accident near Homestead, Florida, November 5, 1986
On November 5, 1986 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N27418, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida (Homestead General airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- November 5, 1986 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Homestead General · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N27418 · registry record · serial 31-7752169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD PUT THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN BUT ON TOUCHDOWN THE GEAR WAS UP AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS UP WHEN IT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND A SUBSEQUENT LANDING GEAR OPERATIONAL TEST WAS PERFORMED WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 12,364 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 209 in the last 90 days; 11,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,240 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540-J2BO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from TMB, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.