Amateur-built Zodiac 601HD accident near Live Oak, Florida, March 10, 2009
On March 10, 2009 at about 4:49 pm local time, a amateur-built Zodiac 601HD, registered N601DE, was destroyed in an accident during emergency descent near Live Oak, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control of the airplane for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2009 · about 4:49 pm local time
- Place
- Live Oak, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Zodiac 601HD
- Registration
- N601DE · no longer on the register · serial 6-3525
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two witnesses observed the experimental airplane flying overhead and noticed smoke coming from its front and underside. One of the witnesses reported that one wing was lower than the other and that the airplane was "loud." No radar data was available to determine the airplane’s flight path; examination of the airplane revealed that it impacted a tree with one wing, then impacted the ground at the base of the tree with the top half of the tree embedded in the fuselage. There was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomaly; however, the airplane was completely consumed by a postcrash fire. Examination of the pilot’s logbook revealed a total of 249 hours of flight experience. In the previous 9 years he logged 18 hours, including a 5-year period of time with no flight time logged. The pilot was also the builder and repairman for the airplane. His most recent entry in the airframe logbook was for a routine conditional inspection 5 months prior to the accident, at an aircraft total time of 249 hours. The origin of the smoke could not be determined; however, it could have affected the pilot's ability to control the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute (cruise)
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 298 hours in all
- Last flight review: March 20, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 249 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 1, 2008
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 4A235B31 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: 24J Live Oak FL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from VLD, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N601DE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.