# NTSB LAX00LA092: Lutes Kitfox II, N91EL, Livermore, CA, February 6, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 6, 2000, 12:34 local (20:34 UTC)
- Place: Livermore, CA
- Coordinates: 37.680545, -121.750091 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6805&lon=-121.7501&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 14, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 48593
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA092
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48593/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA092

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition and his failure to maintain runway alignment.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - weather condition - crosswind
  - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - ground loop/swerve - not corrected, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll

## Analysis

According to the pilot, the conventional gear equipped airplane touched down on runway 7R and the crosswind picked up the right wing.  He said that once the wing lifted he was unable to compensate and the airplane veered suddenly to the right and ground looped.  He said there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.  The winds at the time were from 050 degrees at 11 knots.

## Factual narrative

On February 6, 2000, at 1234 hours Pacific standard time, an amateur-built Lutes Kitfox II, N91EL, ground looped during landing on runway 7R at the Livermore, California, airport.  The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.  The airplane sustained substantial damage.  The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area personal flight, which originated from the Livermore airport at 1145 on the morning of the accident.

According to the pilot, the airplane touched down on runway 7R and the crosswind picked up the right wing.  He said that once the wing lifted he was unable to compensate and the airplane veered suddenly to the right and ground looped.  He said there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.  The winds at the time were from 050 degrees at 11 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N91EL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N91EL-2000-07-12), registration cancelled 2000-07-12, S/N 390 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LUTES KITFOX II
- Registry model: [Lutes E I/Lutes C L KITFOX MODEL II](https://openairdocs.org/model/lutes-e-i-lutes-c-l-kitfox-model-ii) (registry code 056167M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 390
- Airframe hours: 240
- Engines: Rotax 582 66 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: John B. Hyde
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, April 11, 1999, 25 hours before
- Departed: LVK
- Airport: LVK, Livermore Muni, runway 7R, 2,699 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,021 total, 160 in this make and model, 1,828 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 50° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 142 °F, dew point 118 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: LVK

## 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 20000206006399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000206006399A), Feb 6, 2000: Amtr KITFOXII, Livermore, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Airman took off from Livermore airport for local flight. Upon return to airport was cleared to land on 7R. Winds were reported from 030 at 11 knots, sky…

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.