Piper PA-34-220T accident near Kissimmee, Florida, April 24, 2026
On April 24, 2026 at about 5:49 pm local time, a 1983 Piper PA-34-220T, registered N6XT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Kissimmee, Florida (Kissimmee Gateway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fracture of the left main landing gear trunnion during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing and subsequent runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 2026 · about 5:49 pm local time
- Place
- Kissimmee, Florida · Kissimmee Gateway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T, built 1983 · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N6XT · registry record · serial 34-8233144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after an uneventful final approach, during the landing, the airplane made an immediate uncontrolled right turn after touching down. The pilot applied left rudder input and added full engine power, but the airplane went off the right side of the runway, through a fence, and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, engine mounts, and elevator. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear axle was bent and the left main landing gear trunnion had cracked in half. Examination of the left main landing gear trunnion’s fracture features revealed that they exhibited signatures consistent with overstress separation. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 776 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 695 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 10, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360-KB (piston); 3,986 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor LTSIO-360-KB (piston); 3,986 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from ISM
Weather report (METAR): METAR KISM 241656Z 10007KT 10SM CLR 27/14 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP149 T02670144 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA189.