Beech A23 accident near Homestead, Florida, March 28, 1999
On March 28, 1999 at about 3:06 pm local time, a Beech A23, registered N8883M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida (Homestead General 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
The pilots improper decision not to land straight ahead after sustaining a reported loss of engine power on initial take off climb with sufficient runway remaining, and improper recovery from a bounced landing resulting in a subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. The reported loss of engine power was not determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1999 · about 3:06 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Homestead General · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N8883M · no longer on the register · serial M632
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot experienced a reported loss of engine power at 60 feet and elected not to land straight ahead. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to the left. The right main landing gear touched down, the airplane bounced to the left striking the left wing tip and landing gear before the airplane skidded to a stop. The reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
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: 719 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 619 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,798 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1998; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-340A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X51 at 3:06 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from HST, 8 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N8883M 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.