# Accident 20020615014289A: Amtr KITFOX41200, Virginia, MN, June 15, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 2002, 14:00 local time
- Place: Virginia, MN
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.5096° N, 92.4997° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5096&lon=-92.4997&mi=10
- Aircraft: N598HL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N598HL-2002-10-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Firm Howard KIT FOX 4-1200 (registry code 05607WU, https://openairdocs.org/model/firm-howard-kit-fox-4-1200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR KITFOX41200
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI02LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA165) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020615014289A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AT 800' AGL IN CRUISE SMOKE WAS NOTICED ON THE WINDSCREEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE LOST POWER. PILOT SECURED ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL. PILOT DIRECTED AIRCRAFT TO A LANDING ON PRIVATE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY. ON ROLL OUT AIRCRAFT INVERTED, ON SOFT GROUND. FIRE CONSUMED AIRCRAFT. ELT ACTIVATED. NO INJURIES. (.19) ON JUNE 15, 2002, AT 1400 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMATEUR BUILT FIRM KIT FOX 4-1200, N598HL, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT WAS DESTROYED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE FOLLOWING A FORCED LANDING DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR VIRGINIA, MINNESOTA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT TOWER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (12D), TOWER, MINNESOTA AT 1350 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT, DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) HE EXPERIENCED A STRONG FUEL ODOR FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SMOKE OVER THE WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT STATED, "I MADE A STEEP, DESCENDING RIGHT TURN BACK TO                                                THE LAKEBED. AT THIS POINT, I NOTICED MY WINDSHIELD ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS STARTING TO MELT AND DISCOLOR. I DID NOT SEE ANY FLAMES, BUT THE SMOKE IN THE CABIN WAS VERY THICK. I TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN WHEELS AT ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR ABOVE STALL SPEED AND COASTED ON THE MAINS FOR ABOUT 250 FEET BEFORE THE RIGHT MAIN ENTERED A WET AREA AND DUG IN AND FLIPPED THE PLANE ONTO ITS BACK." THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS ON FIRE AS HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THAT THE RIGHT WING WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND THAT THE COCKPIT, SEATS, WINDSHIELD, AND THE LEFT WING WERE BURNING. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETELY BURNED EXCEPT FOR THE TAIL AREA AND WINGTIPS.

## 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 CHI02LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA165), Jun 15, 2002: Firm Kit Fox 4-1200 (N598HL), Virginia, MN, destroyed. Probable cause: An in-flight collision with a bird that resulted in severed fuel lines and the subsequent in-flight fire and loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the soft terrain condition.

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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