NTSB MIA91LA180 — 1991-07-06 · VALPARAISO, Florida, United States

Aircraft involved

N5953P Piper PA-24-180 None

Probable cause & findings

PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

Factual narrative

THE FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLT AT A NEARBY ARPT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE 20 MINUTE RETURN FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. BEFORE DEPARTURE ON A LOCAL FLT, THE FUEL TANKS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTAMINANTS; NONE WERE FOUND. THE FLT DEPARTED, PERFORMED ONE TOUCH AND GO LANDING, AND THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND, THE ENG LOST POWER. HE THEN LANDED THE ACFT GEAR UP ON A TAXIWAY. THE FUEL TANKS WERE DRAINED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CARBURETOR BOWL WAS DRAINED 2 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHICH REVEALED ABOUT 130 ML OF FUEL AND 20 ML OF WATER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_MIA91LA180.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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