# NTSB CEN20CA027: Skystar Kitfox, N58CD, Williamston, MI, November 30, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 30, 2019, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Williamston, MI - Coordinates: 42.686111, -84.313056 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6861&lon=-84.3131&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 16, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - East Michigan FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100648 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA027 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100648/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100648 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA027 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper decision to continue taxiing the airplane on unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a nose-over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Carl Charles G KITFOX IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=05618WP), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Carl Charles G KITFOX IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=05618WP), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Carl Charles G KITFOX IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=05618WP), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Carl Charles G KITFOX IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=05618WP), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Carl Charles G KITFOX IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=05618WP), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Carl Charles G KITFOX IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05618WP), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he landed the airplane on a harvested field in an area that he had walked the day before. When he attempted to take off from a different location than the previous landing, the airplane encountered high wheel resistance due to the soft, wet ground, and he aborted the takeoff. The pilot stated that he had not walked or inspected the area where the takeoff attempt was conducted. While attempting to taxi to the previous landing location, dirt and mud collected on the main landing gear (MLG) between the MLG leg and the tire, which caused the wheel to lock up as if the brakes had been applied. The pilot attempted to reduce engine power, but the airplane slowly nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and vertical tail. The pilot reported that there was no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions of the braking system and that the tires stopped rotating due to the dirt and mud between the MLG leg and the tire. ## Factual narrative The private pilot landed the tailwheel equipped airplane on a harvested farm field near his father's house. He said that the landing was made to an area that he had walked the day before. When he attempted to takeoff, in a different location than the previous landing, he encountered high wheel resistance due to the soft wet ground and aborted the takeoff. The pilot stated that he had not walked or inspected the area where this takeoff attempt was conducted. While attempting to taxi to the previous landing location, dirt and mud collected on the landing gear between the main landing gear leg and the tire causing the wheel to lock up as if the brakes had been applied. The pilot attempted to reduce engine power but the airplane slowly nosed over resulting in damage to the wings, fuselage, and vertical tail. In a telephone conversation the pilot he confirmed that there was no mechanical failure of the braking system and that the tires stopped rotating due to the dirt and mud between the gear leg and the tire/wheel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N58CD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N58CD), registered now, S/N 1458 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SKYSTAR KITFOX (IV) - Registry model: [Carl Charles G KITFOX IV](https://openairdocs.org/model/carl-charles-g-kitfox-iv) (registry code 05618WP) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1458 - Year built: 1992 - Airframe hours: 433 - Engines: Rotax 582UL 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: N58cd LLC - Registered owner: N58cd LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, December 28, 2018 - Departed: 69G, Gregory, MI - Destination: Williamston, MI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; private; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 75 total, 15 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 8 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,300 ft overcast - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: ETW, 88 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 20191130020939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191130020939A), Nov 30, 2019: Carl Charles G KITFOX IV, Willamston, MI, Substantial damage. The solo endorsed pilot departed 69G under marginal VFR and flew to his parents farm in williamston and chose to land in a corn field adjacent to his parents… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100648. 3.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480870&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480871&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Photographs of Accident Airplane (item 3, .PDF, 242 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480872&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photographs%20of%20Accident%20Airplane-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.