Boeing 757-232 accident near Miami, Florida, April 27, 1993
On April 27, 1993 at about 2:18 am local time, a Boeing 757-232, registered N646DL, was involved in an accident near Miami, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 61 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ANTICIPATE TURBULENCE IN OBSERVED WEATHER AND REQUEST THAT FLIGHT ATTENDANTS BE SEATED, BEFORE ENCOUNTERING THE OBSERVED WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1993 · about 2:18 am local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 61 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-232 · all 757-232s on the register
- Registration
- N646DL · no longer on the register · serial 24217
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 11,000 FEET ON INITIAL APPROACH TO MIAMI, FLORIDA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING NEAR A LEVEL TWO RADAR ECHO AND THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THEY WERE CROSSING A NARROW BAND OF CLOUDS AND WERE IN CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER. AFTER EXITING THE CLOUDS THE CAPTAIN OBSERVED A THUNDERSTORM CELL 7 TO 8 MILES SOUTH OF THEIR POSITION. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER WAS SHOWING ON THE AIRCRAFT'S RADAR AT THE TIME OF THE ENCOUNTER ACCORDING TO THE CAPTAIN. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT WHO WAS EXITING THE AFT LAVORATORY WAS LIFTED OFF THE FLOOR DURING THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER AND SUSTAINED AN ANKLE INJURY WHEN SHE LANDED. SHE WAS WEARING 2-INCH HIGH HEEL SHOES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. SHE STATED THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS ON AT THE TIME AND ALL PASSENGERS WERE SEATED. THE COCKPIT CREW HAD MADE NO ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO BE SEATED.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 2,800 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,176 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 25, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 250,000 lb
- Seats: 189
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW2037 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from MIA, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 6 | ||
| Passengers | 55 |
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.