# Accident 20230511005999A: Kitfox IV, Wisconsin Rapid, WI, May 11, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2023, 11:05 local time
- Place: Wisconsin Rapid, WI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.3929° N, 89.8267° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Wisconsin Rapids, WI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3929&lon=-89.8267&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2485F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2485F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Baudhuin Rodney KITFOX MODEL IV (registry code 056233Y, https://openairdocs.org/model/baudhuin-rodney-kitfox-model-iv) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION (registry code 63501, https://openairdocs.org/engine/volkswagen-conversion) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: KITFOX IV
- Reported engine: VOLKSWAGEN CONVERSION
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,539 total, 56 in this make and model
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230511005999A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 11, 2023, AN EXPERIMENTAL KITFOX IV DEPARTED ALEXANDER FIELD SOUTH WOOD COUNTY AIRPORT (KISW), WI AND APPROXIMATELY 4 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST AT 2500 FEET, EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED A RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON WHITROCK AVE, WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI.  THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN WEST OF 16TH AVE, APPROXIMATELY 1850 FEET FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. DURING ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT’S LEFT WING SCRAPED OVER THE ROOF OF A PARKED VEHICLE, THEN STRUCK A KNOWN OBJECT SPEED LIMIT SIGN ON THE RIGHT WING, VEERING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT. THE NOSE GEAR AND PROPELLER CAUGHT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT OVER WHERE IT CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND THE EMPENNAGE. THE PILOT IN COMMND (PIC), SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED. NTSB CLASSIFIED THE EVENT AS AN ACCIDENT. THE PRIMARY ROOT CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE ENGINE FAULURE. FUEL CONTAMINATION AND THE PIC’S MISHANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING WERE CONTRIBUTING SECONDARY CAUSAL FACTORS.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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