- Date
- October 13, 2018, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Monte Vista, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N14GXSkystar Kitfox SER 5 Safari
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181013019899A
- Case key
- 98490
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 improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control.
Findings · 4
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
A pilot-rated witness at the airport reported that, during the airplane’s approach, it appeared to be low and fast. The airplane landed hard, bounced about 4 to 5 ft, and then touched back down on the runway. The witness added that it appeared that the pilot tried to increase power to recover, but while the airplane was about 2 ft off the ground, it turned left. The wings then leveled shortly before the airplane aerodynamically stalled and then nosed over into brush. The pilot reported that, while "taxiing," he "over sped" the airplane, and the left main landing gear impacted a berm. Subsequently, the airplane veered left and bounced, the right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane then ground looped and came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and windscreen. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station about 10 miles from the accident site reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 250° at 14 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 16.
Factual narrative
A pilot rated witness at the accident airport reported that, the wind was 5 mph from the southeast when he observed the accident airplane land. He added that, during the approach, the airplane appeared to be low and fast. The airplane landed hard, bounced about 4 to 5 ft in the air and touched back down on the runway. He added that it appeared that the pilot tried to give the airplane power to recover, but while the airplane was about 2 ft off the ground it was turning to the left. The wings then leveled for a short time before the airplane aerodynamically stalled and nosed over into brush. The pilot reported that while "taxiing", he "over sped" the tailwheel-equipped airplane, and the left main landing gear impacted a berm. Subsequently, the airplane veered left, bounced, the right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane then ground looped and came to rest nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and windscreen. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N14GX
- Reported as
- Skystar Kitfox SER 5 Safari (SERIES 5)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- S9801-0143
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 50
- Engine
- Continental IO-240, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 13, 2018
- Departed
- MVI · Monte Vista, CO
- Destination
- MVI · Monte Vista, CO
- Airport
- MVI · Monte Vista Muni, runway 16, 2,300 × 30 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 14 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KALS, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 27, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.