What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed in a wooded area. (-23) on Wednesday, August 19, 1998, at 11:30 EDT, N4038T, Kitfox, s/n 1891, departed a grass strip in Granby, new york. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft appparently lost power, then turned two descending right-hand turns. The aircraft made contact with trees and then struck the ground. An elevator trim tab had been added to the aircraft prior to the maintenance check flight. The pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger is in serious condition. This accident investigation is considered closed. (.4) the experimental airplane was modified with the addition of an elevator trim tab and manual cockpit control for the elevator trim tab. On the first flight following installation, the airplane was observed to depart, turned crosswind and downwind as though returning for a landing. During the right turn from downwind to base, the airplane nose dived into trees. The PIC was fatally injured, and the owner/pilot in the right seat had no memory of the accident or events leading to it. The elevator trim was found with the trailing edge down, and the cable would slip where it attached to the cock pit control lever. The airplane had not been inspected and a new special airworthiness certificate was not issued as required by the experimental operation limitations.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. (-23) ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1998, AT 11:30 EDT, N4038T, KITFOX, S/N 1891, DEPARTED A GRASS STRIP IN GRANBY, NEW YORK. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT APPPARENTLY LOST POWER, THEN TURNED TWO DESCENDING RIGHT-HAND TURNS. THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH TREES AND THEN STRUCK THE GROUND. AN ELEVATOR TRIM TAB HAD BEEN ADDED TO THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED, AND THE PASSENGER IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION. THIS ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IS CONSIDERED CLOSED. (.4) THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS MODIFIED WITH THE ADDITION OF AN ELEVATOR TRIM TAB AND MANUAL COCKPIT CONTROL FOR THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB. ON THE FIRST FLIGHT FOLLOWING INSTALLATION, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO DEPART, TURNED CROSSWIND AND DOWNWIND AS THOUGH RETURNING FOR A LANDING. DURING THE RIGHT TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE, THE AIRPLANE NOSE DIVED INTO TREES. THE PIC WAS FATALLY INJURED, AND THE OWNER/PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT HAD NO MEMORY OF THE ACCIDENT OR EVENTS LEADING TO IT. THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS FOUND WITH THE TRAILING EDGE DOWN, AND THE CABLE WOULD SLIP WHERE IT ATTACHED TO THE COCK PIT CONTROL LEVER. THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AND A NEW SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE WAS NOT ISSUED AS REQUIRED BY THE EXPERIMENTAL OPERATION LIMITATIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.