What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 20, 2021, about 0900 pacific daylight time, a Kitfox series 6 airplane, N617Y, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Likely, California. The pilot was seriously injured, and the passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight.
Witnesses located near the accident site reported that they had spoken to the pilot and passenger about 10 minutes prior to the accident. Following their conversation, they watched the pilot and passenger board the airplane. The witnesses stated that the pilot attempted to takeoff from the field on a westerly heading, however, appeared that they could not get enough speed. The witnesses heard the engine throttle down and watched the airplane turn around 180° and initiate a second attempt to takeoff. The witnesses stated that the airplane had became airborne about 20 yards from the canal road and had climbed to about 10 to 20 ft above the ground. As the airplane approached the canal, it began to descend and impacted the upper eastern edge of the canal, spun around, and slid down into the water.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 20, 2021, ABOUT 0900 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A KITFOX SERIES 6 AIRPLANE, N617Y, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR LIKELY, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT.
WITNESSES LOCATED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THEY HAD SPOKEN TO THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ABOUT 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. FOLLOWING THEIR CONVERSATION, THEY WATCHED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER BOARD THE AIRPLANE. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM THE FIELD ON A WESTERLY HEADING, HOWEVER, APPEARED THAT THEY COULD NOT GET ENOUGH SPEED. THE WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE THROTTLE DOWN AND WATCHED THE AIRPLANE TURN AROUND 180° AND INITIATE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO TAKEOFF. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BECAME AIRBORNE ABOUT 20 YARDS FROM THE CANAL ROAD AND HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 10 TO 20 FT ABOVE THE GROUND. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE CANAL, IT BEGAN TO DESCEND AND IMPACTED THE UPPER EASTERN EDGE OF THE CANAL, SPUN AROUND, AND SLID DOWN INTO THE WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.