Piper AEROSTAR 601P accident near Orlando, Florida, December 1, 1989
On December 1, 1989 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper AEROSTAR 601P, registered N6079H, was destroyed in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive airport). It was a business 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
LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1989 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper AEROSTAR 601P AEROSTAR 6 · all AEROSTAR 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N6079H · no longer on the register · serial 0734-8063358
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON AN IFR FLT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT DID NOT CONTACT DEPARTURE CONTROL. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED & THE ACFT WAS FOUND NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 7. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,750 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 962 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 1989; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 2:15 am
- Destination: MTH Marathon FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from KORL
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.