Incident Details
A single-engine, radial engine-equipped biplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a levee after losing engine power. The aircraft had been hired as a public flight to relocate from Dade-Collier Airport to Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on November 14.
Flight History
The aircraft had previously landed at Dade-Collier Airport, located in the center of Everglades National Park, following a flight from Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. The pilot had defected from Cuba and landed safely. Both crew members were highly experienced but had no flight hours in the accident airplane make and model.
Accident Sequence
While en route, the pilot reported that the airplane began to smoke and the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a levee. However, the airplane’s main landing gear were wider than the levee, and after touchdown, the airplane traveled off the left side, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The accident resulted in substantial damage.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause was the pilot's failure to properly configure the cowl flaps and oil cooler shutters, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to overheating of the engine. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the airplane with an inoperative cylinder head temperature gauge.