Cessna 152 accident near Miami, Florida, January 17, 1991
On January 17, 1991 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N65418, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was an instructional 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 MAINTENANCE RECORD KEEPING BY THE OPERATION, AND FAILURE OF THE CFI TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1991 · about 2:45 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
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N65418 · no longer on the register · serial 15281540
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLT, THE VACUUM PUMP WAS REMOVED AND HAD NOT BEEN REINSTALLED. THE CFI & STUDENT PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE ENGINE START & RUN-UP PRIOR TO DEPARTURE WERE REPORTED AS NORMAL. THE FLT DEPARTED & THE CFI STATED THAT THE ENG WOULD NOT DEVELOP POWER GREATER THAN 1,200 RPM. DURING THE FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD, THE NOSE GEAR TRAVELLED INTO A DITCH & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. EXAM OF THE ACFT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, REVEALED OIL COATED THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 347 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 235 as pilot in command; 46 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,946 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 26, 1990; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Silver Express, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 pm from TMB, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.