Amateur-built ZENITH CH-300 accident near Niceville, Florida, May 26, 1989
On May 26, 1989 at about 8:39 pm local time, a amateur-built ZENITH CH-300, registered N80WB, was destroyed in an accident near Niceville, Florida (Ruckel airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOTS INCAPACITATION BY A HEART ATTACK RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING OUT OF CONTROL AND COLLIDING WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1989 · about 8:39 pm local time
- Place
- Niceville, Florida · Ruckel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENITH CH-300 ZENITH CH-
- Registration
- N80WB · no longer on the register · serial 3-499
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT SUFFERED HEART ATTACK SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE RESULTING IN HIS INCAPACITATION. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH TREES AND THE FROUND.
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: 9,350 hours in all; 975 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 975 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1989; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:43 pm from VPS, 5 miles away
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.