What happened
On the day of the accident, an N7884J Cessna 404 was conducting a flight from Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, to Miami, Florida. The flight lasted approximately one hour and 14 minutes before the aircraft attempted a visual approach to runway 09 left at Miami International Airport. During this approach, the aircraft was operating under instrument flight rules despite the presence of visual meteorological conditions.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft descending to the right of the established final approach path for the runway. Observers noted that the landing gear was extended and that an engine appeared to be sputtering. The aircraft's wings were seen rocking rhythmically before the plane entered a 90-degree right roll. Following this, the nose pitched upward, causing the aircraft to roll into an inverted position. The nose then pitched downward, leading to a collision with a parking lot. The wreckage came to a rest after sliding between a dump truck and a front-end loader.
Findings
Investigation of the radar data and communications between Miami Air Traffic Control Tower and the aircraft confirmed that no other planes were near the aircraft at the time of the crash. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and left the pilot with serious injuries. Witnesses provided evidence of engine malfunction and unstable flight dynamics prior to the impact.