20040723024569I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Amtr Kitfoxclasiv · Kissimmee, FL · July 23, 2004

Date: July 23, 2004 · 13:55 local
Place: Kissimmee, FL
Airport: Kissimmee Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N60231
Reported as: Amtr Kitfoxclasiv
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 400 total243 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N60231Registration cancelled Sep 25, 2009 · Hightower Marc KITFOX CLASSIC IVS/N C96010135 · Built 2002 Airframe modelHightower Marc KITFOX CLASSIC IV Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) This experimental Kitfox airplane had just landed and was taxiing towards the FBO at a slow rate of speed (the pilot estimated 5 mph). The bungee chord, which supported the right main landing gear, broke in two places. This allowed the right main landing gear to pivot outward on its supporting hinges. A safety cable of about 1/8 inch in diameter also broke. This safety cable is supposed to prevent the landing gear from completely collapsing if the bungee should break. The main landing gears on this aircraft are separate from each other; each has its own bungee and safety cable. Very minor damage was noted at the rear of the right wingtip fairing and the front of the right wing support strut.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THIS EXPERIMENTAL KITFOX AIRPLANE HAD JUST LANDED AND WAS TAXIING TOWARDS THE FBO AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED (THE PILOT ESTIMATED 5 MPH). THE BUNGEE CHORD, WHICH SUPPORTED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, BROKE IN TWO PLACES. THIS ALLOWED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TO PIVOT OUTWARD ON ITS SUPPORTING HINGES. A SAFETY CABLE OF ABOUT 1/8 INCH IN DIAMETER ALSO BROKE. THIS SAFETY CABLE IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THE LANDING GEAR FROM COMPLETELY COLLAPSING IF THE BUNGEE SHOULD BREAK. THE MAIN LANDING GEARS ON THIS AIRCRAFT ARE SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER; EACH HAS ITS OWN BUNGEE AND SAFETY CABLE. VERY MINOR DAMAGE WAS NOTED AT THE REAR OF THE RIGHT WINGTIP FAIRING AND THE FRONT OF THE RIGHT WING SUPPORT STRUT.