- Date
- September 2, 2017, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Afton, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N429NCCroft Robert C Kitfox Super Sport
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- FAA report
- 20170902024749A
- Case key
- 95944
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 maintain bank control during an attempted go-around.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane bounced, so he applied power for a go-around. He added that the airplane "immediately banked left sharply." He attempted to recover by using rudder and aileron inputs, but the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was calm. The airplane was landing on runway 34.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane bounced, so he applied power for a go around. He added that the airplane "immediately banked left sharply". He attempted to recover by using rudder and aileron inputs, but the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was calm. The airplane was landing on runway 34.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N429NC
- Reported as
- Croft Robert C Kitfox Super Sport (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- KA10123166
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 175.8
- Engine
- Rotec R2800 MKII, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 22, 2017
- Departed
- U76 · Mountain Home, ID
- Destination
- AFO · Afton, WY
- Airport
- AFO · Afton Muni, runway 34, 7,025 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 5, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 289.7 total · 91.1 in this make and model · 191.8 as pilot in command · 27.2 in the last 90 days · 13.6 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.32 inHg
- Observed at
- KAFO, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.