Boeing 747-121 accident near Miami, Florida, October 23, 1995
On October 23, 1995 at about 7:50 am local time, a Boeing 747-121, registered N613FF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Miami International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the No. 4 engine fifth stage turbine hub due to a cyclic stress rupture for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an uncontained failure of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1995 · about 7:50 am local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747-121 · all 747-121s on the register
- Registration
- N613FF · no longer on the register · serial 19647
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight had an uncontained failure of the No. 4 engine during the takeoff roll. The takeoff was rejected and the aircraft stopped on the remaining runway. Airport emergency personnel extinguished a fire that erupted in the engine after failure. Examination of the aircraft showed the engine, pylon, right wing, flaps, and aileron, right horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage sustained damage from engine debris released during failure of the engine. Examination of the engine indicated the low pressure turbine fifth stage hub had ruptured. About 180 degrees of the hub rim had separated along with the blade attachment slots and blades. The hub ruptured from an area of a well oxidized, intergranular fracture that originated at a tierod hole. There was no apparent defect observed along the edge of the tierod hole that would cause a crack to initiate and propagate to critical length.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 181 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,911 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 23, 1996; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 734,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT9D-7AH (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MIA at 7:50 am
- Destination: TTPP Port Of Spain OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9L, 10,502 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 am from MIA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 |
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.