Pilot Debrief

Gladstone Kitfox near Dubre, KY — 2009-04-18

Final reportERA09LA250
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Date
2009-04-18
Location
Dubre, KY, USA
Aircraft
Gladstone Kitfox
Registration
N191KF
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

A witness stated that he heard an airplane approaching his house; the airplane was about 200 feet above the trees. It made a left turn next to a creek and reversed its course. The airplane reversed its course again, and was observed above the creek coming back towards his home. The witness observed the fuselage of the airplane swaying from left to right and as well as the airplane making a steep left turn. He observed that the left wing of the airplane was perpendicular to the ground and the ground speed of the airplane appeared to be slow. The airplane continued in the steep left turn, reversed its course again, and leveled out. The wings on the airplane were observed to wobble, and the nose of the airplane pitched down. The airplane collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude and came to rest upright. The witness reported no change in engine noise during the accident sequence. No evidence of any preimpact anomalies was noted with the airframe, flight controls, or engine assembly and accessories.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided steep turns and maintained altitude.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 21 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents21

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