# Accident 19980222001669A: Amtr KITFOX, Staunton-Waynes, VA, February 22, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 22, 1998, 16:00 local time
- Place: Staunton-Waynes, VA
- Airport: Shenandoah Valley Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2797° N, 78.9202° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2797&lon=-78.9202&mi=10
- Aircraft: N955F (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMTR KITFOX
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 190 total, 110 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980222001669A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST PROP RPM AT CRUISE. ENGINE RAN NORMAL. LANDED SHORT OF SHD. NOSED OVER. PROP DIRVE BELT LOST ALL TEETH. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A FEW MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, HE SMELLED `HOT RUBBER' AND STARTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER THE TURN, THE DRIVE BELT BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER FAILED. WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT REACH THE RUNWAY, HE ELECTED TO PERFORM A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE WHEEL DUG IN THE SOFT TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BUILDER/PILOT HAS USED A 4 INCH WIDE COG BELT BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER. THE COGS WERE WORN OFF AND WOULD NOT ROTATE THE PROPELLER. THE BELT MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THAT COG BELTS NOT BE USED IN AVIATION APPLICATIONS.                                                            (-23) PROP LOST RPM IN CRUISE, BUT ENGINE MAINTAINED RPM. PILOT SET UP GLIDE TO NEAREST AIRPORT, BUT CAME UP TO 1/4 MILE SHORT. TOUCHED DOWN IN PLOWED FIELD AND FLIPPED INVERTED. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC98LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA068), Feb 22, 1998: Zwart KIT FOX Vixen (N955F), Weyers Cave, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the propeller drive train after the pilot/builder installed an improper drive belt.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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