- Date
- July 6, 2005, 12:10 local (16:10 UTC)
- Place
- Albion, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N16AFWagner Kitfox II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20050706018709A
- Case key
- 61909
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 loss of airplane control after inadvertently taking off while conducting high-speed taxi runs. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane.
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
While performing high-speed taxi runs on the turf runway, the pilot elected to conduct a few "crow hops." After applying full power, the airplane became airborne, and suddenly turned to the right and descended to the ground. The pilot stated that he "considered his inexperience with the airplane was a major cause of the accident," and reported no mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot had no previous experience in the accident airplane make and model.
Factual narrative
On July 6, 2005, at 1210 eastern daylight time, an amateur built Kitfox II, N16AF, was substantially damaged during high-speed taxi at the Gaines Valley Airport (GVA), Albion, New York. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight destined for Gainesville, Georgia. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, a flight instructor had test flown the airplane approximately 6 days prior to the accident flight, and noted that the airplane flew satisfactory, with no abnormalities noted. Due to time constraints, the flight instructor was unable to fly with the pilot, and suggested that the pilot perform some solo high-speed taxi runs to get a feel for the airplane since he had never flown it.
On the day of the accident, the pilot elected to conduct a few "crow hops" while taxiing the airplane on the turf runway. After applying full power, the airplane became airborne, and suddenly turned to the right and descended to the ground.
The pilot also stated that he "considered his inexperience with the airplane was a major cause of the accident."
According to a NTSB Form 6120.1/2 submitted by the pilot, he had no experience in the accident airplane make and model.
The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16AF
- Reported as
- Wagner Kitfox II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 89
- Airframe hours
- 30
- Engine
- Rotax 532, 62 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sherman Horton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 1, 2005
- Departed
- GVA · Albion, NY
- Airport
- GVA · Gaines Valley Airport, runway 09, 4,000 × 90 ft, grass/turf
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
- 80
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.