Boeing 707-324C accident near Miami, Florida, April 25, 1992
On April 25, 1992 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Boeing 707-324C, registered HK360, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Miami International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under foreign airline rules (Part 129). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE #3 ENGINE PYLON INBOARD MIDSPAR SUPPORT FITTING DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING WHICH RESULTED IN THE SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER THREE ENGINE AND PYLON. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS OF THE MANUFACTURER AND THE FAA TO DETECT CRACKS IN THE MIDSPAR FITTING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1992 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 707-324C · all 707-324Cs on the register
- Registration
- HK360 · no longer on the register · serial 19352
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE #3 ENGINE AND PYLON SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THE PYLON INBOARD MIDSPAR SUPPORT FITTING. THE FITTING HAD CRACKED DUE TO FATIGUE, AND HAD BEEN CRACKED FOR SOME TIME. THE POINT OF CRACKING WAS NOT VISIBLE FOR INSPECTION ON THE WING. THE FITTING IS THE SUBJECT OF FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 88-24-10 AND BOEING SERVICE BULLETIN 3183 WHICH REQUIRE VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE MIDSPAR FITTING EACH 1500 FLIGHT HOURS OR 600 CYCLES. THIS INSPECTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED ON THE FAILED FITTING ON JANUARY 2, 1992, 821 FLIGHT HOURS AND 328 CYCLES BEFORE THE FAILURE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53,257 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 10, 1992; 821 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 322,300 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT3D-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SKLC Cali,Colombia OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9R, 13,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:22 pm from MIA, 1 miles away
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.