- Date
- October 5, 2005, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- La Porte, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N40120Harms KitFox Series 5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Houston, Texas
- FAA report
- 20051005026369A
- Case key
- 62613
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 failure to obtain/maintain adequate airspeed on takeoff, which resulted in two hard landings and subsequent loss of control.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private pilot had recently built the tailwheel-equipped experimental airplane and had accrued approximately 20 hours (all flight instruction) in the airplane. A commercial pilot accompanied the pilot on the flight. During takeoff from Runway 12 (4,165-foot long by 75-foot wide asphalt runway), the airplane became airborne briefly and then settled back on to the runway, followed by a couple of hard bounces. Following the second bounce, the left main landing gear wheel separated and the airplane ground-looped. The airplane then rolled to the right, exited the runway, and nosed over. The pilot reported a total of 70 flight hours, but had not flown since 1951. A review of FAA records revealed that the commercial rated pilot held a flight instructor rating; however, it had expired in 2004. Examination of the airplane revealed no pre-mishap discrepancies. The winds at the time of the mishap were reported from 100 degrees at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40120
- Reported as
- Harms KitFox Series 5
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- S9909-0215
- Airframe hours
- 20
- Engine
- Subaru 2.2, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Harms
- Registered owner
- Robert Harms
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- T41 · La Porte, TX
- Destination
- T41 · La Porte, TX
- Airport
- T41 · La Porte Municipal Airport, runway 12, 4,165 × 75 ft, asphalt
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 80
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 70 total · 20 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Right
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- EFD, 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.
Other investigations on N40120 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.