Amateur-built ZENAIR 601 accident near Kissimmee, Florida, January 4, 2000
On January 4, 2000 at about 11:08 pm local time, a amateur-built ZENAIR 601, registered N229FF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida (Kissimmee Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control on landing resulting in the airplane going off the side of the runway and colliding with a barricade.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 2000 · about 11:08 pm local time
- Place
- Kissimmee, Florida · Kissimmee Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENAIR 601
- Registration
- N229FF · registry record · serial 6-3285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he departed on a VFR local flight with a passenger. It became dark and he became disoriented. He saw a city in the distance, thought it might have an airport, and flew towards it. He made an approach without contacting the control tower. He lost directional control of the airplane on touchdown. The airplane went off the side of the runway and collided with a barricade.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 628 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 266 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GIF Winter Haven FL at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 pm from ISM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.