# NTSB CEN23LA381: George Stone KIT FOX Model 3, N815US, Scottsburg, IN, August 1, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 1, 2023, 19:22 local (23:22 UTC)
- Place: Scottsburg, IN
- Coordinates: 38.6577, -85.790585 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6577&lon=-85.7906&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Indianapolis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 192937
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA381
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192937/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192937
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA381

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after takeoff that resulted in an impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [George Stone KIT FOX MODEL 3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=05637Z2), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [George Stone KIT FOX MODEL 3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05637Z2), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [George Stone KIT FOX MODEL 3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05637Z2), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [George Stone KIT FOX MODEL 3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05637Z2), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot attempted a personal flight in an airplane that did not have an airworthiness certificate. Additionally, he did not have any required student pilot solo endorsements for solo flight. A witness to the accident flight stated that the student pilot performed a successful airplane runup before takeoff. During the takeoff, the airplane lifted off when it was about halfway down the runway and climbed to about tree top level. A few seconds later, the right wing dropped, and the airplane descended into terrain in a nose-down attitude. The engine continued to operate after the impact until the witness turned the magnetos and fuel selector valve off. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane confirmed flight control continuity.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N815US](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N815US), registered now, S/N 815 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GEORGE STONE KIT FOX MODEL 3
- Registry model: [George Stone KIT FOX MODEL 3](https://openairdocs.org/model/george-stone-kit-fox-model-3) (registry code 05637Z2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 815
- Airframe hours: 4.1
- Engines: Rotax 582 UL Mod 90 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: None
- Airport: 3R8, Honaker Field Airport, runway 2, 2,750 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 77; injuries: serious; student

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observed at: IMS, 16 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 20230801014469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230801014469A), Aug 1, 2023: George Stone KIT FOX MODEL 3, Scottsburg, IN, Substantial damage. On 08/01/2023, at approximately 7:16 pm eastern time, a Kitfox model 3 aircraft took off from honaker airfield (3R8) Scottsburg, Indiana. The aircraft climbed…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192937. 5.2 MB in all.

- Request for pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16337523&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20Form%206120,%20Kitfox%20Model%203%20N815US_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of record - NTSB 6120 form (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16348606&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%206120-Rel.pdf
- Witness statements (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 481 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16348314&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20Redacted_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of record - FAA (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16339972&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20FAA-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 477 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16337561&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records received (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 525 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16339840&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Logs%20Received%20Master-Rel.pdf
- Student pilot endorsement (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16339772&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Endorsements_Redacted-Rel.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.

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