- Date
- September 16, 2007, 13:52 local (17:52 UTC)
- Place
- Moultonboro, NH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N20577Grenier Kitfox IV
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070916829609A
- Case key
- 66692
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 failure of both spark plugs in the number 3 cylinder which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.
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
After a thorough before-takeoff check of systems and instruments, the airplane performed as expected during the takeoff roll and initial climb. About 100 feet above ground level, the engine began "sputtering" and "losing power." The airplane lacked the altitude to return to the runway, so the pilot chose to land straight ahead in a swamp. Post accident examination of the engine revealed that both spark plugs in the number 3 cylinder did not spark. After exchanging the spark plugs, the engine started immediately and ran continuously without interruption.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the amateur-built Kitfox IV explained that after a thorough before-takeoff check of systems and instruments, the airplane performed as expected during the takeoff roll and initial climb. About 100 feet above ground level, the engine began "sputtering" and "losing power." The airplane lacked the altitude to return to the runway, so the pilot chose to land straight ahead in a swamp. Post accident examination of the engine revealed that both spark plugs in the number 3 cylinder did not spark. After exchanging the spark plugs, the engine started immediately and ran continuously without interruption.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20577
- Reported as
- Grenier Kitfox IV
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 4152394
- Engine
- Rotax 912 UL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Barry Huston
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 5M3 · Moultonboro, NH
- Destination
- Moultonboro, NH
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
- 44
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 45 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.