# NTSB CEN13FA440: Phelps Kitfox III, N873RX, Oshkosh, WI, July 28, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: July 28, 2013, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC) - Place: Oshkosh, WI - Coordinates: 43.955276, -88.68222 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9553&lon=-88.6822&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-MKE-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 87592 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13FA440 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87592/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87592 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA440 ## Probable cause The degraded fuel line, which prevented fuel from the left tank from reaching the header tank and resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Phelps Rex Dale KITFOX III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md?model=05605CP), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Phelps Rex Dale KITFOX III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05605CP), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Phelps Rex Dale KITFOX III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05605CP), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane was about 1,000 feet above ground level when the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot was able to momentarily regain engine power twice before the engine lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field. The airplane's nose impacted terrain, which pushed the engine rearward and buckled the structure under the forward cockpit area. A postaccident examination revealed that the left wing fuel tank was nearly full, and the fuel line connecting the left wing fuel tank to the header tank had softened at the installation bend, which allowed the fuel line to kink and shut off the fuel supply from the left wing tank. The right wing and header fuel tanks were empty, and the fuel line from the right tank was intact and functioned normally. The fuel system on newer models of the accident airplane have been modified to include a 90-degree elbow fitting, which prevents the tight bend in the fuel line from the wing tanks to the header tank. ## Factual narrative On July 28, 2013, at 1150 central daylight time, an amateur built experimental Phelps KitFox III, N873RX, collided with the terrain during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the airframe. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operating on a flight plan. The last leg of the cross-country flight originated from the La Porte Municipal Airport (PPO), La Porte, Indiana, at 0930. The flight was en route to EAA AirVenture at the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, when the accident occurred. The pilot stated they were on the Fisk arrival, about 6 miles west-southwest of OSH at 1,800 feet above mean sea level, when the engine began running rough. The pilot was able to regain engine power twice prior to the engine losing all power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a nearby plowed field. The nose of the airplane contacted the terrain during the landing, pushing the engine rearward and buckling the structure under the forward cockpit area. The pilot had fueled the airplane, filling both tanks, prior to departing PPO. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing fuel tank was nearly full of fuel while the right wing fuel tank and the header tank were both empty. When the fuel line connecting the left wing fuel tank to the header tank was moved, fuel began draining from the wing into the header tank. The fuel line was removed and it was noted that the line had softened at the installation bend leading from the wing tank allowing the line to kink shutting off the fuel supply from the left wing tank. The pilot installed the fuel lines from both wing tanks to the header tank about 13 flight hours prior to the accident. The line from the right tank was intact and functioned normally. The lines installed were Gates automotive 50 pounds per square inch (psi) WP 5/16-inch diameter lines. A representative from KitFox stated they have not seen this problem with the fuel lines in the past. The fuel system on newer KitFox models has been modified to include a 90 degree elbow fitting which alleviates the tight bend in the fuel line from the wing tank to the header tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N873RX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N873RX), registered now, S/N 873 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PHELPS KITFOX III - Registry model: [Phelps Rex Dale KITFOX III](https://openairdocs.org/model/phelps-rex-dale-kitfox-iii) (registry code 05605CP) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 873 - Airframe hours: 923 - Engines: Rotax 912UL 80 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Phelps Rex D - Registered owner: Phelps Rex D - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 26, 2013, 5 hours before - Departed: PPO, La Porte, IN - Destination: OSH, Oshkosh, WI - Airport: OSH, Wittman Regional Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: left; flight hours: 1,124 total, 923 in this make and model, 1,051.3 as pilot in command, 15.5 in the last 90 days, 12.3 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,400 ft overcast - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: OSH, 6 nm away ## 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 20130728020099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130728020099A), Jul 28, 2013: Phelps Rex Dale KITFOX III, Oshkosh, WI, Substantial damage. While on the arrival into the Oshkosh airport the pilot noticed the engine started to run rough and quit shortly there after. The pilot immediately tried two… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87592. 6.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409914&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation (item 2, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409915&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Photo 1. N873RX (item 3, .PDF, 857 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409916&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20N873RX-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Fuel line. (item 4, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409917&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Fuel%20line.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Fuel line. (item 5, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409918&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20Fuel%20line.-Master.PDF 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.