Piper PA-28-161 accident near Kissimmee, Florida, July 22, 2005
On July 22, 2005 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N280FT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida (Kissimmee Gateway airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the student pilot to maintain control of the airplane during a go around resulting in the airplane descending and colliding with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2005 · about 4:20 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-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N280FT · no longer on the register · serial 2841230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated he was on final approach to runway 15 with 3 stages of flaps applied to the airplane and with an indicated airspeed of 65 knots. When the airplane was about ten feet above the runway, he felt turbulence and the left wing dropped toward the ground. He tried to correct with rudder and aileron. When the airplane leveled out it was about 90 degrees to the runway. He attempted to go around. He applied full engine power and retracted one stage of flaps. The airplane did not climb quickly enough and hit the ground. He stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. The winds at the time of the accident were from 360 degrees at 5 knots with no gusts.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Destination: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 am from ISM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.