Piper PA-38-112 accident near Miami, Florida, October 19, 1990
On October 19, 1990 at about 4:34 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N23665, 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1990 · about 4:34 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 PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N23665 · no longer on the register · serial 38-81A0148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PERFORMING AIRWORK THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN ABOUT 2 FT OF WATER. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER BUT THE WINGS WERE NOT SUBMERGED. THE NEXT DAY THE PILOT DISCONNECTED THE FUEL LINE TO THE INLET OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND DISCOVERED RUST-COLORED WATER. WATER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED INSIDE THE PUMP. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN APRX 4 HRS DURING THE PRECEDING 5 MONTHS.
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: 1,526 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,386 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,192 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1990; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:50 pm from TMB, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N23665 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.