# NTSB ANC97LA113: Iverslie KIT FOX, N596AK, Chugiak, AK, July 31, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 31, 1997, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Chugiak, AK - Coordinates: 61.409446, -149.170776 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4094&lon=-149.1708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 3036 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC97LA113 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3036/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA113 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in the airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience in kind of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings in the tailwheel-equipped homebuilt airplane. Before the accident landing, the pilot decided to deploy the airplane's flaperons at an intermediate setting. After the airplane touched down, and while traveling about 30 knots, he retracted the flaperons. The airplane then swerved to the right and ground looped. The right main landing gear was bent and broken. The right wing struck the ground, bending the wing spar. The pilot had accrued 88.7 hours of total aeronautical experience, with about 25 hours of experience in the accident airplane since it was built. The accident flight was the first use of the flaperons. The pilot reported the use of flaperons limits the effectiveness of the ailerons. Once the flaperons are retracted, the ailerons regain their full authority. ## Factual narrative On July 31, 1997, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, an experimental homebuilt Iverslie, Kit Fox airplane, N596AK, crashed during landing at the Birchwood Airport, Chugiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Birchwood Airport, about 1315. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 1, 1997, at 1030, the pilot reported he was conducting touch and go landings on runway 19. Before the accident landing, the pilot decided to deploy the airplane's flaperons at an intermediate setting. After the airplane touched down, and while traveling at about 30 knots, he retracted the flaperons. The airplane then swerved to the right and ground looped. The right main landing gear was bent and broken. The right wing struck the ground, bending the wing spar. The pilot indicated he had accrued 88.7 hours of total aeronautical experience, with about 25 hours of experience in the accident airplane since it was built. He also indicated the accident flight was his first use of the flaperons. The pilot reported the use of flaperons limits the effectiveness of the ailerons. Once the flaperons are retracted, the ailerons regain their full authority. ## Aircraft - Registration: N596AK (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Iverslie KIT FOX - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: S960100200 - Airframe hours: 25 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 118 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Scott P. Iverslie - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 22, 1997, 25 hours before - Departed: BCV - Airport: BCV, Birchwood, runway 19, 4,010 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 89 total, 18 in this make and model, 44 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970731020869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970731020869A), Jul 31, 1997: Amtrdf KITFOX, Birchwood, AK, Substantial damage. After landing retracted flaperons swerved and ground looped. Bent gear and wing spar. First use of flaperons. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.