Cessna 421 accident near Miami, Florida, November 10, 1993
On November 10, 1993 at about 11:52 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N1600B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Opa-Locka airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO OBTAIN THE PROPER ASSISTANCE AFTER BEING NOTIFIED OF A FUEL LEAK FROM THE LEFT WING FUEL TANKS AFTER REFUELING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1993 · about 11:52 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Opa-Locka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N1600B · no longer on the register · serial 421-0092
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED, THE LINEMAN OBSERVED FUEL ON THE GROUND NEAR THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE LINEMAN NOTIFIED THE PILOT OF THIS WHO RESPONDED THAT THE LEAKAGE WAS DUE TO OVERFILLING OF THE TANKS. THE AIRPLANE WAS MOVED AND DURING THE LEFT ENGINE START, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE NEAR THE LEFT ENGINE NACELLE AREA.
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 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: 3,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,840 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: GTK Grand Turk OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 040° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.