Piper PA-23-250 accident near Opa Locka, Florida, October 10, 1995
On October 10, 1995 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N4587P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Opa Locka, Florida (Opa Locka West airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE ON LANDING RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL, SLIDING OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A ROCK COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1995 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Opa Locka, Florida · Opa Locka West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N4587P · no longer on the register · serial 27-96
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered to the left of the runway on landing roll and collided with a rock collapsing the nose landing gear.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 285 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 156 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,972 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1995; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OPF FL at 8:15 pm
- Destination: X46 FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from OPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.