20180502004459A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hartline J Bon Hartline Kitfox III · Marathon, TX · May 2, 2018

Date: May 2, 2018 · 02:00 local
Place: Marathon, TX
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N73BH
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN18LA157
Reported as: Hartline J Bon Hartline Kitfox III
Reported engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 1 in this make and model

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.

On may 2, 2018, at approximately 1018 CDT, N73BH, a Hartline Kitfox III experimental aircraft impacted terrain after flaperon failure during take-off climb at Marathon (6TX9) airport in Marathon, Texas. Aircraft was being operated on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. Aircraft sustained substantial damage. Pilot and passenger sustained no injuries. Flight originated from Marathon airport (6TX9) in Marathon, Texas on may 2, 2018 at approximately 1018 CDT.

As the FAA filed it

ON MAY 2, 2018, AT APPROXIMATELY 1018 CDT, N73BH, A HARTLINE KITFOX III EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN AFTER FLAPERON FAILURE DURING TAKE-OFF CLIMB AT MARATHON (6TX9) AIRPORT IN MARATHON, TEXAS. AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MARATHON AIRPORT (6TX9) IN MARATHON, TEXAS ON MAY 2, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 1018 CDT.

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 CEN18LA157Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMarathon, TXThe failure of the flaperon hinge attachment point during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the lack of reinforcement of the hinge attachment point in accordance with the manufacturer’s service bulletin.May 2, 2018 · Substantial damage