NTSB MIA84FA256 — 1984-09-18 · BOCA RATON, Florida, United States

Current FAA registration · N143D

Make / Model: DOUGLAS DC3A-S4C4G
Year of manufacture: 1937 · 47 years old at event
Engine: P & W R-1830 SERIES (1350 hp)
Seats / Engines: 32 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date: 19630220
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A0AE20

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N143D Douglas DC3 None

Factual narrative

FOUR HOURS AND FORTY MINS AFTER TAKEOFF APRX 6 MILES FROM THE DEST APRT, BOTH ENGS STOPPED RUNNING. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THINKING THEY WERE OUT OF FUEL, THE CREW ACCOMPLISHED A FORCED LANDING IN A WILDLIFE REFUGE IN 10 FT TALL SAWGRASS. AS THE ACFT DECELERATED THE LEFT ENG STRUCK A SUBMERGED STUMP SEPARATING THE ENG FROM THE WING. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ALL THREE FUEL TANKS, 200 GAL CAPACITY EACH, WERE FILLED. UPON RECOVERY THE RIGHT MAIN AND AUX TANK WERE EMPTY BUT 150 GALS REMAINED IN THE LEFT TANK. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS IN THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1984_MIA84FA256.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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