- Date
- October 17, 2009, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Crystal Falls, MI
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94HGGottelt Herbert R Kitfox IV/
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20091017025959A
- Case key
- 74924
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to maintain control due to an undetermined problem affecting lateral control of the airplane.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that immediately after liftoff he was unable to move the control stick to the left of the center (neutral) position, although he was able to move the control stick to the right, forward, and aft without restriction. The pilot returned for landing; however, “at about 30 [feet] altitude the aircraft began to stall.” The airplane subsequently landed hard, separating the main landing gear. Both wings and the fuselage structure were substantially damaged during the event. The pilot stated that the accident occurred during the third flight of the day. A postaccident inspection was unable to confirm a restriction at the control stick. Continuity between the cockpit controls and the flight control surfaces was confirmed.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that immediately after liftoff he was unable to move the control stick to the left of the center (neutral) position, although he was able to move the control stick to the right, forward, and aft without restriction. The pilot returned for landing; however, “at about 30 [feet] altitude the aircraft began to stall.” The airplane subsequently landed hard, separating the main landing gear. Both wings and the fuselage structure were substantially damaged during the event. The pilot stated that the accident occurred during the third flight of the day. A postaccident inspection was unable to confirm a restriction at the control stick. Continuity between the cockpit controls and the flight control surfaces was confirmed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94HG
- Reported as
- Gottelt Herbert R Kitfox IV/
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- GBS039
- Airframe hours
- 406.9
- Engine
- Bombardier ROTAX (ALL), reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 15, 2009
- Departed
- 50D · Crystal Falls, MI
- Destination
- 50D · Crystal Falls, MI
- Airport
- 50D · Iron County, runway 02, 2,700 × 145 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 73
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 26, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,580 total · 407 in this make and model · 2,407 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- IMT, 13 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.