# NTSB ERA09LA509: Hebert Kitfox Speedster, N43KA, Morrisville, VT, September 7, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 7, 2009, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place: Morrisville, VT
- Coordinates: 44.534442, -72.613891
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.5344&lon=-72.6139&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report January 7, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74685
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA509
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74685/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74685
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA509

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff for undetermined reasons.

## Findings

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

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Hebert Peter J KITFOX SPEEDSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05626EZ), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/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 engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Hebert Peter J KITFOX SPEEDSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05626EZ), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Hebert Peter J KITFOX SPEEDSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05626EZ), [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: [Hebert Peter J KITFOX SPEEDSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05626EZ), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During the initial climb after takeoff the experimental, amateur-built airplane climbed to an altitude of approximately 100 feet and experienced a momentary loss of engine power, which was followed by a total loss of engine power. The airplane was in a left turn when it stalled and subsequently struck hay bales. The airplane came to rest about 350 feet from the end of the departure runway. The engine was pushed aft into the firewall and the airframe sustained significant distortion. Examination of the wreckage, which included a detailed examination of the non-certificated engine, did not reveal any mechanical deficiencies which would have resulted in a complete loss of engine power. The airplane had been operated for about 510 total hours, and 3 hours since its most recent condition inspection, which was performed about 6 months prior to the accident.

## Factual narrative

On September 7, 2009, about 1630 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Hebert Kitfox Speedster, N43KA, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground, after it experienced a loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff, from Morrisville-Stowe State Airport (MVL), Morrisville, Vermont. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, after a normal pre-takeoff engine run-up, the airplane departed from runway 1, a 3,701-foot-long, by 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. As the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 100 feet, it experienced a momentary loss of engine power, which was followed by a total loss of engine power. The airplane was in a left turn, at a "low airspeed," when the left wing "started to drop." The airplane subsequently struck, and came to rest on hay bales, about 350 feet from the end of the runway. The engine was pushed aft into the firewall, and the airframe sustained significant distortion. Initial examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any obvious preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot reported he added 10 gallons of fuel to the airplane prior to takeoff, and evidence of a fuel spill was present at the accident site. The airplane was equipped with a Rotax 912 series non-certificated engine, which was retained for further examination. The engine was subsequently examined at Rotech Flight Safety, Vernon, British Columbia, under the supervision of an NTSB investigator. The examination did not reveal any mechanical deficiencies which would have resulted in a complete loss of engine power. According to FAA records, the airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate on September 18, 1995. The pilot, who was also the builder, reported that at the time of the accident, the airplane had been operated for about 510 total hours, and 3 hours since its most recent condition inspection, which was performed on March 1, 2009. The pilot reported 1,150 hours of total flight experience, which included 500 hours in the accident airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on July 26, 2009. A weather observation taken at MVL, about the time of the accident, reported: wind from 310 degrees at 3 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; few clouds at 4,700 feet, temperature 23 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 12 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N43KA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43KA-2010-04-05), registration cancelled 2010-04-05, S/N ACS 096, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HEBERT Kitfox Speedster
- Registry model: [Hebert Peter J KITFOX SPEEDSTER](https://openairdocs.org/model/hebert-peter-j-kitfox-speedster) (registry code 05626EZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: ACS 096
- Airframe hours: 510
- Engines: Rotax 912 90 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, March 1, 2009, 3 hours before
- Departed: MVL, Morrisville, VT
- Destination: MVL, Morrisville, VT
- Airport: MVL, Morrisville-Stowe, runway 01, 3,701 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 50; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 23, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 1,050 total, 500 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observed at: MVL

## 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 20090907049709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090907049709A), Sep 7, 2009: Hebert Pete KITFOX SPEE, Morrisville, VT, Destroyed. After take-off, at 150-200 feet AGL, the engine experience a partial power loss. The pilot executed a left turn to turn back to the airport, where the engine…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 29, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74685. 3.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 302 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40334173&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 116 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40334326&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF
- Rotax Engine Examination Report (excerpt) (item 3, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40334175&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Rotax%20Engine%20Examination%20Report%20(excerpt)-Master.PDF
- Photograph # 1 - Airplane as it came to rest (Provided by FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 772 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40334254&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%23%201%20-%20Airplane%20as%20it%20came%20to%20rest%20(Provided%20by%20FAA)-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.