- Date
- January 4, 2000, 18:08 local (23:08 UTC)
- Place
- Kissimmee, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N229FFEaa Chapter 229 Zenair 601
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000104023489A
- Case key
- 48439
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
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.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
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.
Factual narrative
On January 4, 2000, at about 1808 eastern standard time, an EAA Chapter 229, Zenair 601, N229FF, registered to EAA Chapter 229, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced a loss of directional control on landing rollout at Kissimmee Municipal Airport, Kissimmee, Florida, and crashed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Winter Haven, Florida, (GIF) about 1 hour 8 minutes before the accident.
The private pilot stated he departed GIF on a local flight and became disoriented as it was beginning to get dark. He went up on guard frequency and attempted to get some help. He could not locate his position. He observed a city in the distance, and flew towards the city. He figured it would have an airport. As he approached the city, he saw a runway and entered left base 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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N229FF
- Reported as
- Eaa Chapter 229 Zenair 601
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6-3285
- Airframe hours
- 266
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles H. Westerman
- Registered owner
- Eaa Chapter 229
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 11, 1999
- Departed
- GIF · Winter Haven, FL
- Airport
- ISM · Kissimmee Municipal, runway 33, 6,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 79
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 628 total · 37 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ISM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.