Piper PA-23-250 accident near Miami, Florida, November 10, 1987
On November 10, 1987 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N5086Y, was destroyed in an accident near Miami, Florida (Opa Locka airport). 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
- November 10, 1987 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Opa Locka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5086Y · registry record · serial 272106
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE LEFT ENGINE HE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND SAW FLAME SPREADING FROM THE ACCESSORY AREA OF THE LEFT ENGINE TOWARD THE LEFT WING TIP AND THE CABIN. HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE BY TURNING OFF THE MAGNETOS AND HE AND HIS PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT WING AND CABIN THEN BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAME. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE IN THE ACCESSORY AREA OF THE LEFT ENGINE AND THE FUEL AND HYDRAULIC LINES IN THIS AREA TO HAVE BEEN BURNED TO ALMOST DESTRUCTION. ADDITIONALLY THE FUEL CAPS IN BOTH WINGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN WRAPPED WITH RAGS WHICH THE PLT STATED WAS TO PREVENT THEM FROM LEAKING. THE PLT STATED THE LOGBOOKS WERE IN THE AIRCRAFT AND BURNED AND THAT HE COULD NOT REMEMBER WHO DID THE LAST INSPECTION.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,311 hours in all; 478 in this make and model; 385 in the last 90 days; 1,058 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A105 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:40 pm from OPF
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.