Christen Industries A-1 accident near Miami, Florida, February 18, 1996
On February 18, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Christen Industries A-1, registered N2923B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, 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
Failure of the pilot to maintain proper runway alignment during a go-around, resulting in a collision with trees beside the runway. The crosswind was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, 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
- Christen Industries A-1
- Registration
- N2923B · no longer on the register · serial 1033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a touch-and-go landing on runway 36, the aircraft touched down hard and bounced back in the air. The pilot initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the aircraft drifted to the right of the runway and collided with trees. The wind was reported to be from 310 degrees at 9 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,050 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 372 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1995; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OPF FL at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MIA, 15 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2923B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.