What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
03/09/2026 Littlefield, Arizona 17:52 local, operating under 14 CFR part 91 flight. An experimental Kitfox 4 was destroyed on impact with terrain. One pilot, one passenger on board, both sustained serious injuries. Pilot received 2 broken ankles; passenger received a broken foot. Flight control continuity was established. No damage to persons or property on the ground. Pilot stated aircraft departed ksgu with winds reported at 10 knots from 260 degrees on a southeast heading. During a low altitude turn they experienced a sudden loss of control, what appeared to be a strong downdraft, pushing the aircraft straight down to the ground. Pilot immediatly leveled the wing and added full power, but aircraft controls did not respond. Pilot stated the power of the downdraft overcame the performance of the aircraft and they did all they could do to keep wings level prior to impact with terrain. The aircraft came to rest on an approximate heading of 300 degrees, 180 degrees from direction of travel. Accident site inspection showed left wing impact mark as first impact point. Left wing was broken in half and partially separated from fuselage. Landing gear assembly separated from fuselage with left axle and tire separated from assembly. Right wing was mostly intact with damage to wingtip and outer most 1/3 of wing. Fuselage/empennage was bent (scorpion) toward left side of aircraft. Horizontal stabilizers, vertical stabilizer, rudder and tailwheel were intact with no damage. Propeller blades showed signs consistent with engine operating under power. Power lever in cockpit was found to be in the full power (in) position. Narative may be amended at a later date.
As the FAA filed it
03/09/2026 LITTLEFIELD, ARIZONA 17:52 LOCAL, OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT. AN EXPERIMENTAL KITFOX 4 WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. ONE PILOT, ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD, BOTH SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. PILOT RECEIVED 2 BROKEN ANKLES; PASSENGER RECEIVED A BROKEN FOOT. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED. NO DAMAGE TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ON THE GROUND. PILOT STATED AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KSGU WITH WINDS REPORTED AT 10 KNOTS FROM 260 DEGREES ON A SOUTHEAST HEADING. DURING A LOW ALTITUDE TURN THEY EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL, WHAT APPEARED TO BE A STRONG DOWNDRAFT, PUSHING THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE GROUND. PILOT IMMEDIATLY LEVELED THE WING AND ADDED FULL POWER, BUT AIRCRAFT CONTROLS DID NOT RESPOND. PILOT STATED THE POWER OF THE DOWNDRAFT OVERCAME THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THEY DID ALL THEY COULD DO TO KEEP WINGS LEVEL PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 300 DEGREES, 180 DEGREES FROM DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. ACCIDENT SITE INSPECTION SHOWED LEFT WING IMPACT MARK AS FIRST IMPACT POINT. LEFT WING WAS BROKEN IN HALF AND PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM FUSELAGE. LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM FUSELAGE WITH LEFT AXLE AND TIRE SEPARATED FROM ASSEMBLY. RIGHT WING WAS MOSTLY INTACT WITH DAMAGE TO WINGTIP AND OUTER MOST 1/3 OF WING. FUSELAGE/EMPENNAGE WAS BENT (SCORPION) TOWARD LEFT SIDE OF AIRCRAFT. HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, VERTICAL STABILIZER, RUDDER AND TAILWHEEL WERE INTACT WITH NO DAMAGE. PROPELLER BLADES SHOWED SIGNS CONSISTENT WITH ENGINE OPERATING UNDER POWER. POWER LEVER IN COCKPIT WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE FULL POWER (IN) POSITION. NARATIVE MAY BE AMENDED AT A LATER DATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N104DG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.