Piper J-3 accident near Miami, Florida, April 25, 1987
On April 25, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper J-3, registered N25863, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was a personal flight 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
- April 25, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3 · all J-3s on the register
- Registration
- N25863 · registry record · serial 3825
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNERS RPRTD THE ACFT WAS STOLEN ON 4/25/87. THE NON-CERTIFICATED PLT RPRTD THAT HE HAD TAKEN THE ACFT WITHOUT PERMISSION. DRG FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER, & SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT MADE A FORCED LNDG IN THE EVERGLADES ABOUT 9 MI WEST OF THE TAMIAMI ARPT. HE STATED THAT THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO CONTAMINATED FUEL. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, APRX 1 QT OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL SYS. THE ACFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR OVER A YEAR & DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT AIRWORTHINESS OR REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE ABOARD. WHEN THE PLT WAS INTERVIEWED, HE APPEARED TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL; HOWEVER, HE HAD BEEN 'DRINKING' BETWEEN THE TIME OF THE ACDNT & THE INTERVIEW.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 pm from TMB, 9 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.