# NTSB MIA85FA058: Piper PA-31-350, N40790, Miami, FL, December 13, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 12, 1984, 19:52 local (Dec 13, 1984, 00:52 UTC)
- Place: Miami, FL
- Coordinates: 25.819728, -80.300666 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.8197&lon=-80.3007&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 31217
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA85FA058
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/31217/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA85FA058

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - fuel supply - misjudged, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - fuel system - not understood, pilot in command (cause)
  - inadequate transition/upgrade training, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- Complete gear collapsed, landing
  - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)

## Analysis

PLT JUDGED BY REFERENCE TO ACFT GAGES THAT HE HAD 156 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING WHEN INFACT ONLY 120 GALS OF FUEL REMAINED.ON APPROACH FOR LNDG, WHILE OPERATING ON AUX TANKS, LOW FUEL FLOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PLT SWITCHED TO MAIN TANKS AND BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER SHORTLY THEREAFTER WHILE ACFT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH. PLT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO REGAIN POWER BY SWITCHING BACK TO AUX TANKS SINCE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION INITIATED DURING AUX TANK OPERATION. RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, OTHER GEAR SEPARATED ON FORCED LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN ROUGH TERRAIN. ACFT MANUAL STATES LOW FUEL FLOW WARNING LIGHTS INDICATE CONDITION OF MAIN TANKS ONLY. PLT DID NOT UNDERSTAND THIS TO BE TRUE REGARDLESS OF TANK SELECTION. INVESTIGATION REVEALED MAIN TANKS CONTAINED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL; AUX TANKS HAD APPROX 6 GALS EACH.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N40790 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 31-8152080
- Airframe hours: 1509
- Engines: LYCOMING LTI0-540-J2BD 350 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Southern Express Airways,Inc.
- Registered owner: Vincent J. Finazzo
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 8, 1984, 29 hours before
- Departed: RSW, FORT MYERS, FL
- Destination: MIA, MIAMI, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MIA, Miami Internationl, runway 12, 9,600 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 34; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 5,600 total, 115 in this make and model, 4,880 as pilot in command, 115 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: MIA, 1 nm away

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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