- Date
- August 28, 1991, 20:45 local (Aug 29, 1991, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Miami, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 minor; on the ground: 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N41306Piper PA28-151
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910828037279A
- Case key
- 32756
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the airport agent to exercise caution while driving in reduced visibility due to rain resulting in the collision between the agent's truck and the aircraft she was searching for which had stopped on the taxiway to await assistance. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the airport authority to continually monitor for accidents and violations the driving records of employees who drive on the airport.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Pilot became lost and stopped on taxiway to await assistance. Ground control sent ramp agent to find and direct flight. As ramp vehicle traveled east on taxiway in reduced visibility due to rain and darkness, it collided with the left rear area of the aircraft. The ramp vehicle and aircraft traveled 350 feet before coming to a stop. The pilot then moved the aircraft forward another 340 feet to avoid a fire. The speed limit on the ramp is 20 mph. The ramp agent had been involved in previous accidents on the airport and had many citations for driving on public roads. The ramp agent had been counseled after an accident in January 1991 to slow down when driving and not to over drive her head lights. The airport authority only monitored employee driver records for a suspended or revoked license. It did not monitor for accidents and violations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41306
- Reported as
- Piper PA28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7415163
- Airframe hours
- 3,949
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gulf Aircraft Leasing, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Gulf Aircraft Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1991 · 38 hours before
- Destination
- Upper Captiva, FL
- Airport
- MIA · Miami International
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,160 total · 250 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 61 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 20° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIA, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.