# NTSB SEA05LA073: Shorethose Kitfox Series 5, N704LS, Cresent City, FL, April 10, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 10, 2005, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Cresent City, FL - Coordinates: 29.441667, -81.583053 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4417&lon=-81.5831&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Orlando FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61297 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA05LA073 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61297/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05LA073 ## Probable cause Aircraft handling not maintained during the landing rollout. Factors include soft terrain. ## 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 - aircraft handling - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane developed a rough running engine and he elected to make a precautionary landing. He stated the touchdown and initial rollout was normal, however the airplane encountered a soft/muddy area on the runway and nosed over. In a written statement submitted to the NTSB, the pilot reported that the "airplane made [a] precautionary landing and after rollout -during taxi to get off runway- airplane encountered a soft muddy area and flipped over." The pilot's statement made no reference as to the cause of the rough running engine. ## Factual narrative On April 10, 2005, about 1930 eastern daylight time, a tail-wheel equipped, experimental category, Shorethose Kitfox Series 5, N704LS, sustained substantial damage subsequent to a nose-over during landing at Jim Finlay Farm Airport (28FL), Crescent City, Florida. The airplane is owned by the pilot and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been activated for the flight that originated from Donalsonville, Georgia, (17J), approximately two hours and thirty minutes prior to the accident. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board IIC, on April 12, the pilot reported that the airplane developed a rough running engine and he elected to make a precautionary landing. He stated the touchdown and initial rollout was normal, however the airplane encountered a soft/muddy area on the runway and nosed over. In a written statement dated April 19, the pilot reported that the "airplane made [a] precautionary landing and after rollout -during taxi to get off runway- airplane encountered a soft muddy area and flipped over." The pilot's statement made no reference as to the cause of the rough running engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N704LS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N704LS-2013-08-27), registration cancelled 2013-08-27, S/N S9901-0184, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Shorethose Kitfox Series 5 - Registry model: [Shorethose Len KITFOX SERIES 5](https://openairdocs.org/model/shorethose-len-kitfox-series-5) (registry code 05609GI) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 59901-0184 - Airframe hours: 284 - Engines: Rotax 912 S 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Clifford G. Dow - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2004 - Departed: 17J, Donalsonville, GA - Destination: 28FL, Cresent City, FL - Airport: 28FL, Jim Finlay Farm, runway 18, 2,400 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 216 total, 20 in this make and model, 216 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: KPSG, 26 nm away ## 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 20050410009849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050410009849A), Apr 10, 2005: Amtr KITFOXSERIE5, Cresent, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) During taxi aircraft encountered soft wet taxiway and flipped causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot was not injured. The wet taxiway was… 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.