20100802042989A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Wing Harold Kitfox Mode · Park Rapids, MN · August 2, 2010

Date: August 2, 2010 · 17:30 local
Place: Park Rapids, MN
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N389HW
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10CA461
Reported as: Wing Harold Kitfox Mode
Reported engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,000 total5 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N389HWRegistration cancelled Dec 22, 2014 · Wing Harold KITFOX MODEL 2S/N 389 Airframe modelWing Harold KITFOX MODEL 2 Engine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)Reciprocating

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.

The pilot stated that there was a drop in engine RPM and was unable to maintain altitude. The weather report at the time of this incident indicates there was a potential for carburetor icing. This aircraft was not equiped, nor is it required to be, with carburetor heat. The pilot stated he made the decision to make the emergency landing in a small lake. Due to the size of the lake the pilot stated he needed to make an abrupt landing because of this confined space. The impact resulted in the failure of the front edge of the right float causing the aircraft to flip over.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DROP IN ENGINE RPM AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE WEATHER REPORT AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT INDICATES THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR CARBURETOR ICING. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPED, NOR IS IT REQUIRED TO BE, WITH CARBURETOR HEAT. THE PILOT STATED HE MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE THE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SMALL LAKE. DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE LAKE THE PILOT STATED HE NEEDED TO MAKE AN ABRUPT LANDING BECAUSE OF THIS CONFINED SPACE. THE IMPACT RESULTED IN THE FAILURE OF THE FRONT EDGE OF THE RIGHT FLOAT CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN10CA461Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPark Rapids, MNA partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to adequately flare during the water landing.Aug 2, 2010 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N389HW · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20130416004539ALanding: Touchdown · Blaine, MNPilot stated that he touched down near the end of runway 27 at 35-45 mph. Aircraft touched down tail wheel first and then bounced on to the mains and the aircraft rotated to the right. He then applied left rudder and added power to attempt a go around. The…Apr 16, 2013 · Substantial damage