Tuesday, August 06, 2019

Fuel Contamination: Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee C, N5915U; accident occurred August 05, 2019 near Miami Executive Airport (KTMB), Miami-Dade County, Florida

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

https://registry.faa.gov/N5915U



Location: Miami, FL
Accident Number: CEN19LA252
Date & Time: 08/05/2019, 0940 EDT
Registration: N5915U
Aircraft: Piper PA28
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel contamination
Injuries: 2 Serious, 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On August 5, 2019, about 0940 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA28 140 airplane, N5915U, impacted vegetation and terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power after takeoff from the Miami Executive Airport (TMB), near Miami, Florida. The flight instructor received minor injuries and the student and passenger reported receiving serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial wing and fuselage damage during the forced landing. The airplane was registered to and operated by Osorio Aviation Corp. as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight was originating from TMB at the time of the accident.

According to the flight instructor, a preflight inspection of the airplane was conducted. Some oil was added to the engine and a check of the fuel revealed about 30-40 gallons was present. The passenger, student pilot, and flight instructor boarded the airplane and followed the checklist to start the airplane engine, which they describe as a "normal" start. They copied the automated terminal information service details, which indicated calm wind and that runways 27R/27L were in use. After that, they contacted clearance and ground controllers, and subsequently taxied via taxiway alpha for runway 27R.

The instructor added that the engine run up was conducted using the checklist. The magneto check produced about a 50 RPM drop for each magneto. The carburetor heat test indicated about a 50 RPM drop. The fuel pump was on, all gauges were indicating in the green arc, and all the indications were "normal."

The tower controller subsequently issued a clearance for takeoff and the student conducted the takeoff that was a normal takeoff with no flaps. The student rotated the airplane about 75 kts. At 150-200 ft above ground level, the engine RPMs dropped about 200-300 RPMs like a partial loss of power. The instructor subsequently took over the controls. The instructor checked if all the switches were on and if the throttle was full forward. "Everything" was good. The instructor elected to keep climbing at 70-75 kts, which is the best glide speed. He advised the tower that he was going to land the airplane on 9R. During the turn the engine completely lost power and the instructor decided to do a force landing on a corn field between runway 9R and 9L. After the landing, the instructor assessed the occupants and advised the tower of their location and need for immediate medical assistance. He secured the airplane and they evacuated the airplane.

At 0907, the recorded weather at TMB was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition few clouds at 800 ft, few clouds at 1,400 ft; temperature 28° c; dew point 26° C; altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury.

At 0953, the recorded weather at TMB was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 30° C; dew point 26° C; altimeter 30.04 inches of mercury.

The temperature and dew point spread present about the time of the accident was in the light carburetor icing range at cruise or descent power.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane. During sampling the left-wing fuel tank sump, 16 oz of water was removed. The airplane was recovered on a on flatbed truck. Another sample was taken where contamination consistent with fuel and water was found. The gascolator bowl was broken. However, it contained a liquid consistent with water and fuel. The carburetor sampling also found the same contamination.

Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25B, Aircraft Systems, in part, stated:

Fuel Contamination
Accidents attributed to powerplant failure from fuel contamination have often been traced to:

- Inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot
- Servicing aircraft with improperly filtered fuel from small tanks or drums
- Storing aircraft with partially filled fuel tanks
- Lack of proper maintenance

Fuel should be drained from the fuel strainer quick drain and from each fuel tank sump into a transparent container and then checked for dirt and water. When the fuel strainer is being drained, water in the tank may not appear until all the fuel has been drained from the lines leading to the tank. This indicates that water remains in the tank and is not forcing the fuel out of the fuel lines leading to the fuel strainer. Therefore, drain enough fuel from the fuel strainer to be certain that fuel is being drained from the tank. The amount depends on the length of fuel line from the tank to the drain. If water or other contaminants are found in the first sample, drain further samples until no trace appears.

Water may also remain in the fuel tanks after the drainage from the fuel strainer has ceased to show any trace of water. This residual water can be removed only by draining the fuel tank sump drains.

Water is the principal fuel contaminant. Suspended water droplets in the fuel can be identified by a cloudy appearance of the fuel, or by the clear separation of water from the colored fuel, which occurs after the water has settled to the bottom of the tank. As a safety measure, the fuel sumps should be drained before every flight during the preflight inspection. 

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 22, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/16/2018
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 02/11/2019
Flight Time:  1539 hours (Total, all aircraft), 4.3 hours (Total, this make and model), 1399 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 56 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 50 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2.8 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: Foreign; Private
Age: 18, Female
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s):None 
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/16/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 04/27/2019
Flight Time:  99.7 hours (Total, all aircraft), 7.5 hours (Total, this make and model), 66 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 50 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 31 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N5915U
Model/Series: PA28 140
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1970
Amateur Built:No 
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility
Serial Number: 28-26897
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/24/2019, Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2150 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 9800 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed
Engine Model/Series: O-320
Registered Owner: Osorio Aviation Corp
Rated Power: 140 hp
Operator: Osorio Aviation Corp
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KTMB, 10 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0907 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 31°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 800 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 26°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Miami, FL (TMB)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Miami, FL (TMB)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 0940 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: MIAMI EXECUTIVE (TMB)
Runway Surface Type: N/A
Airport Elevation: 10 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Vegetation
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious, 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 25.647500, -80.433333 (est)



A small plane crashed Monday morning near Miami Executive Airport.

The Piper PA-28 went down after departing Miami Executive Airport at 9:40 a.m., according to Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane landed on a grassy field owned by the airport, which used to be called the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport.

Two people were taken to the hospital, one in serious condition, a spokeswoman for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said. A third passenger was treated at the scene and later released.

The passengers’ identities have not been released.

The fixed wing single-engine plane, numbered “N5915U,” is owned by Osorio Aviation Corp, a Miami-Dade for-profit corporation, according to FAA records. The plane’s certificate is still valid and will expire in February 2022, according to the FAA.

The company, which was registered in April 2017 with the state, became inactive in September 2018 for failing to file the required annual reports or other legal guidelines, according to Sunbiz.org.

The corporation is registered under Joao Osorio, who was also the corporation’s director.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

Story and video ➤ https://www.miamiherald.com



MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Florida - A small plane made a crash landing Monday morning in a field at Miami Executive Airport, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman confirmed.

The incident was reported shortly after 9:30 a.m. off Southwest 127th Street and 141st Avenue.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the Piper PA-28 crashed just after departing from Miami Executive Airport. 

According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman Erika Benitez, three people -- a pilot and two passengers -- were injured during the incident.

She said one person was taken as a trauma alert to Jackson South Medical Center. Another person was also taken to a local hospital and the third victim was treated at the scene, Benitez said. 

FAA records show the plane is registered to the Osorio Aviation Corporation, which is based at the airport. The address for the registered owner comes back to Global Pilot School. 

Local 10 News reporter Andrew Perez stopped by the flight school after the crash, but an employee refused to speak with him about the incident. 

Bergen said the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause of the accident. 

Story and video ➤ https://www.local10.com



SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Florida (WSVN) - Two passengers on board a small airplane have been transported to the hospital after the plane had to make an emergency landing at Miami Executive Airport in Southwest Miami-Dade.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded to an alert three call at the airport, located at 14150 Southwest 127th Street, just after 9:30 a.m., Monday.

Officials said one pilot and two passengers were on board the plane. Two victims were transported to the hospital, one as a trauma alert.

The third victim was treated at the scene and is said to be OK.

“When crews arrived they saw a small aircraft that had made an emergency landing,” said MDFR Public Information Officer Erika Benitez. “We have three patients, one of these patients was a trauma alert and was transported to a local trauma center, while the other two — one was transported to a local hospital and the last patient was treated and released on scene.”

7SkyForce HD flew over the scene where the small plane could be seen in a grassy field.

Federal Aviation Administration officials said the Piper PA-28 aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating and said the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause of the crash.

Story and video ➤ https://wsvn.com

Location: Miami, FL
Accident Number: CEN19LA252
Date & Time: 08/05/2019, 0940 EDT
Registration: N5915U
Aircraft: Piper PA28
Injuries: 3 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On August 5, 2019, about 0940 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA28 140 airplane, N5915U, impacted vegetation and terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power on takeoff from the Miami Executive Airport (TMB), near Miami, Florida. The flight instructor, student pilot, and a passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial wing and fuselage damage during the forced landing. The airplane was registered to and operated by Osorio Aviation Corp. as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight was originating from TMB at the time of the accident.

According to initial information given to the Federal Aviation Administration, the flight instructor reported that "everything" was checked before the engine was started. Thirty gallons of fuel was estimated to be in the fuel tanks and "some" oil was added to the engine. The engine was started, and the engine run up checklist was used to check the engine operation. The magneto check revealed a "normal" indication, which was about a 50-75 RPM drop. The carburetor test indicated about a 50 RPM drop. Normal indications were observed during the takeoff ground roll. About 200-300 ft above ground level, the engine started to shake. The flight instructor took over the flight controls. There was not enough runway to land straight ahead. The flight instructor attempted to turn the airplane to land on runway 13 or 9R. The engine had a complete power loss. The airplane descended and subsequently had a hard landing on a corn field between runway 9L and 9R.

At 0907, the recorded weather at TMB was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition few clouds at 800 ft, few clouds at 1,400 ft; temperature 28° c; dew point 26° C; altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury.

At 0953, the recorded weather at TMB was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 30° C; dew point 26° C; altimeter 30.04 inches of mercury. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N5915U
Model/Series: PA28 140
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Osorio Aviation Corp
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KTMB, 10 ft msl
Observation Time: 0907 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 26°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 800 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm / ,
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Miami, FL (TMB)
Destination: Miami, FL (TMB)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 25.647500, -80.433333 (est)


August 5th at 9:38 a.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to a small aircraft that made an emergency landing on a field near Tamiami Executive Airport. There were a total of three (3) patients injured. Two (2) patients were transported to the hospital, one (1) which was a trauma alert. The third patient was treated and released on scene.

2 comments:

  1. Looks like an easy landing in a field with the AC largely intact. Wonder how they were injured?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Plane looks to have made a textbook off-airport landing. I wonder if the serious injuries came from contact with the instrument panel. Shoulder harnesses could have lessened those injuries.

    ReplyDelete