SEA06CA089

NTSB accident investigation · Ely Kitfox III · Lewiston, ID · April 26, 2006

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 26, 2006, 09:26 local (16:26 UTC)
Place
Lewiston, ID
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N91JEEly Kitfox III
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 3, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20060426005189A
Case key
63589

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

Failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing roll from an aborted takeoff. Excessive use of the rudder to control the airplane, the subsequent inadvertent ground loop, and the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor were factors.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTakeoff - aborted
Rudder - excessiveDual studentFactor
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentDual studentFactor
Supervision - inadequatePilot in command(cfi)Factor
Aircraft control - not maintainedDual studentCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - runway

Analysis

The private pilot receiving instruction said that during the takeoff roll the airplane was "unable to achieve takeoff." The power was cut to abort the takeoff and the airplane appeared to angle toward a taxi way marker. "I over corrected to the left and caused the aircraft to ground loop." The flight instructor said that the cockpit was "pretty tight" for him, and he had some trouble manipulating the rudder pedals in size 13 shoes. He further stated that when the pilot receiving instruction made a rudder pedal input, the airplane ground-looped before he could do anything.

Factual narrative

On April 26, 2006, at 0926 Pacific daylight time, an Ely Kitfox III, N91JE, was substantially damaged when the airplane ground-looped during a takeoff attempt at Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport (LWS), Lewiston, Idaho. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The private pilot/owner was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight which was originating at the time of the accident. A flight plan had not been filed.

The private pilot receiving instruction said that during the takeoff roll the airplane was "unable to achieve takeoff." The power was cut to abort the takeoff and the airplane appeared to angle toward a taxi way marker. "I over corrected to the left and caused the aircraft to ground loop." The flight instructor said that the cockpit was "pretty tight" for him, and he had some trouble manipulating the rudder peddles in size 13 shoes. He further stated that when the pilot receiving instruction made a rudder peddle input, the airplane ground-looped before he could do anything.

Aircraft

Registration
N91JE
Reported as
Ely Kitfox III
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
1014
Airframe hours
502
Engine
Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Franklin R. Miles
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · June 1, 2005 · 23 hours before
Departed
LWS · Lewiston, ID
Destination
LWS · Lewiston, ID
Airport
LWS · Lewiston-Nez Perce County Arpt, runway 11, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
71
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 1, 2004
Seat
Left
Flight hours
746 total · 2 in this make and model · 674 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Role
Flight instructor
Age
72
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 1, 2005
Seat
Right
Flight hours
13,000 total · 90 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
30° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
LWS

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.