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20251018017789A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Roderick James Willmore KITFOX S7 SUPERSPORT · Killgore, ID · October 18, 2025

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 18, 2025 · 13:30 local
Place
Killgore, ID
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N98RW
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR26LA029
Reported as
Roderick James Willmore Kitfox S7 Supersport
Reported engine
ROTAX 912 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,065 total262 in this make and model27 in the last 90 days
N98RWRegistered now · Roderick James Willmore KITFOX S7 SUPERSPORTS/N KA 19012436 · Built 2020Airframe modelRoderick James Willmore KITFOX S7 SUPERSPORTEngine modelRotax 912 seriesReciprocating

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 10/18/2025 at approximately 1930Z (1330 LCL), N98RW, a Kitfox S7 supersport, lost control during takeoff on a dirt road approximately 25 miles NE of dubois airport (U41) in Killgore, Idaho. The PIC stated that he forgot to set the trim for takeoff and noticed during the takeoff roll. He said as he was adjusting the stick for the pressure needed to rotate, the grip on the stick came off and he lost control of the plane. He stated that he pulled the throttle back to regain some control, but the aircraft veered to the right and went through a borrow pit, hitting the wing tip. As the plane eventually came to a stop, it tipped on the nose and broke the propellor hub and two of the propellers. Damage to the aircraft included the left wingtip breaking off and causing damage to the fabric of the wing, the left main gear strut was bent and damaged and the propeller hub was broken and two propeller blades were broken. There were no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON 10/18/2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 1930Z (1330 LCL), N98RW, A KITFOX S7 SUPERSPORT, LOST CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF ON A DIRT ROAD APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES NE OF DUBOIS AIRPORT (U41) IN KILLGORE, IDAHO. THE PIC STATED THAT HE FORGOT TO SET THE TRIM FOR TAKEOFF AND NOTICED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. HE SAID AS HE WAS ADJUSTING THE STICK FOR THE PRESSURE NEEDED TO ROTATE, THE GRIP ON THE STICK CAME OFF AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE PLANE. HE STATED THAT HE PULLED THE THROTTLE BACK TO REGAIN SOME CONTROL, BUT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND WENT THROUGH A BORROW PIT, HITTING THE WING TIP. AS THE PLANE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP, IT TIPPED ON THE NOSE AND BROKE THE PROPELLOR HUB AND TWO OF THE PROPELLERS. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED THE LEFT WINGTIP BREAKING OFF AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FABRIC OF THE WING, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUT WAS BENT AND DAMAGED AND THE PROPELLER HUB WAS BROKEN AND TWO PROPELLER BLADES WERE BROKEN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

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 WPR26LA029Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportKilgore, IDThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the separation of the control stick grip.Oct 18, 2025 · Substantial damage