Amateur-built EIPPER MXII accident near Miami, Florida, October 12, 1989
On October 12, 1989 at about 8:02 pm local time, a amateur-built EIPPER MXII (ultralight), registered N181BB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A CRACKED IMPULSE LINE TO THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INOPERATIVE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE VEHICLES AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA, WHICH NECESSITATED A MANEUVER TO AVOID THEIR COLLISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 1989 · about 8:02 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EIPPER MXII EIPPER MXI
- Registration
- N181BB · no longer on the register · serial 05675P7
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER & WOULD NOT RESTART. THE PLT STARTED TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY, BUT TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY, SO HE ELECTED TO LAND BETWEEN THE HIGHWAY & A NEARBY FENCE. HOWEVER, HE HAD TO MANEUVER TO AVOID LARGE SIGNS BESIDE THE ROADWAY & SUBSEQUENTLY DAMAGED THE ACFT DURING LANDING. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT A PLASTIC IMPULSE LINE ON THE ENG, WHICH OPERATED THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM, HAD BECOME CRACKED, DISABLING THE FUEL PUMP.
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: 366 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 323 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 345 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:40 pm from TMB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.