Swearingen SA-227-TT and Douglas DC-6B accident near Miami, Florida, March 29, 1988
On March 29, 1988 at about 3:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Swearingen SA-227-TT (N30042) and Douglas DC-6B (N92BL), were involved in the same accident near Miami, Florida (Miami Int'L airport). No one was hurt; 5 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
- March 29, 1988 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami Int'L
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Swearingen SA-227-TT · all SA-227-TTs on the register
- Registration
- N30042 · no longer on the register · serial TT-441
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Douglas DC-6B · all DC-6Bs on the register
- Registration
- N92BL · registry record · serial 43825
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Swearingen SA-227-TT final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS AT THE END OF RUNWAY 9 LEFT, MONITORING THE TOWER FREQUENCY, AWAITING TAKEOFF CLEARANCE WHEN THE ACFT'S EMPENNAGE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY N92BL.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Douglas DC-6B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO TAXI AROUND N30042, HE THOUGHT HE HAD ENOUGH CLEARANCE TO GET BY, BUT MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE & THE RUDDER OF THE MERLIN ACFT WAS STRUCK BY THE DC6B'S LEFT WING TIP.
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 for the Swearingen SA-227-TT from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,900 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,642 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 12
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIA
- Destination: X09 Key Largo FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:14 pm from MIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Douglas DC-6B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,346 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 103,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R2800-CB16/17 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIA
- Destination: MYAM Marsh Harbor OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.