Piper PA-28-140 accident near Miami, Florida, May 28, 1992
On May 28, 1992, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5830U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF THE FUEL SELECTOR BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND FOLLOWING PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF A FUEL LINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION AND IMPROPER MAINTENANCE BY UNKNOWN PERSONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1992
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5830U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT, THE CFI MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE LT TO THE RT POSITION. THE ENG RPM THEN BEGAN FLUCTUATING. HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK & THE ENG BEGAN OPERATING NORMALLY BUT BEGAN LOSING POWER. WHILE DESCENDING DURING THE DARK NIGHT FOR A FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A BLACK NET COVERING A NURSERY & POLES SUPPORTING THE NET. EXAM OF THE COCKPIT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. IT WAS NOT MOVED BY FIRE OR POLICE DEPT PERSONNEL. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE RT WING FUEL TANK FLEXIBLE LINE WHICH ATTACHES TO THE FUEL TANK, WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY CONTAMINANT. THE LINE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1969. ALSO, THE RT WING FUEL TANK & CARBURETOR FINGER SCREENS WERE PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY CONTAMINANT. ACCORDING TO NOTE NO.18 OF THE PIPER INSP CHECKLIST, THE FLEXIBLE FUEL LINE IS REQ'D TO BE REPLACED WHEN THE ENG IS OVERHAULED, WHICH OCCURRED IN 1984. THE CARBURETOR BOWL WAS DRAINED WHICH REVEALED THAT IT CONTAINED LESS THAN APPROXIMATELY 3 OUNCES OF FUEL. THE PAX STATED HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CFI & HE WAS AT THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF ENG POWER.
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: 1,094 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 878 as pilot in command; 683 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,416 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1991; 169 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gordon Air Services, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: X51 Homestead FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.