Piper PA-23-250 accident near Opa-Locka, Florida, June 1, 1995
On June 1, 1995 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N5832Y, was destroyed in an accident near Opa-Locka, Florida (Opa-Locka airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL, THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, AND HIS INTENTIONAL OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE AND HIS SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO ACCOMPLISH THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1995 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Opa-Locka, Florida · Opa-Locka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5832Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-2981
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN PARKED AT LEAST 16 DAYS WITH THE INBOARD FUEL TANKS ABOUT 1/3 FULL BEFORE BEING FILLED THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. AFTER DEPARTING, THE FLIGHT RETURNED REPORTING THAT THE FLAPS WERE NOT OPERATIONAL AND THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. A MECHANIC WHO HAD RECENTLY WORKED ON THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM OPERATIONALLY CHECKED THE FLAPS MORE THAN 10 TIMES WITH NO DISCREPENCIES NOTED. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT PLACED ON JACKS FOR AN OPERATIONAL TEST OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED, AND DURING INITIAL CLIMB THE PILOT ADVISED THE ATC CONTROLLER OF A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO BANK LEFT, PITCH NOSE DOWN, AND IMPACT THE GROUND. WATER WAS DETECTED AT THE FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES AND FUEL MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY OF SEVERAL CYLINDERS OF THE LEFT ENGINE. NO EVIDENCE OF WATER CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND BY OPERATORS OF OTHER AIRPLANES FUELED FROM THE SAME SOURCE. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED, THE FLAPS WERE PARTIALLY EXTENDED AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS FULLY EXTENDED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,617 hours in all; 28 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 1994; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OPF Miami FL at 4:29 pm
- Destination: MYA Congo Town OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:31 pm from OPF, 1 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.