# NTSB SEA96LA051: Madorin Kitfox III, N32308, Grantsville, UT, February 9, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 9, 1996, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Grantsville, UT - Coordinates: 40.670829, -112.760215 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6708&lon=-112.7602&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 25, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42329 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA96LA051 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42329/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA96LA051 ## Probable cause the pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for a precautionary landing. A factor was the snow covered terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis While in a climb over the south end of the Great Salt Lake, the engine oil temperature reached the upper limit (red line). The pilot reduced power and monitored the oil temperature while proceeding to the southwest shoreline of the lake. After passing over the shoreline, the pilot started looking for a place where he could land to investigate the cause of the problem. He elected to land in an open snow-covered field, which had snow that he estimated was 1 to 3 inches deep. After a successful touchdown, the aircraft rolled about 60 feet, and then flipped over in the snow. After the accident, the pilot determined that the snow was actually 6 to 8 inches deep. ## Factual narrative On February 9, 1996, approximately 1430 mountain standard time (MST), an experimental Madorin Kitfox III, N32308, nosed over during a precautionary off-airport landing near Grantsville, Utah. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which departed Morgan, Utah, for Wendover, Utah, about one hour earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, while he was in a climb over the southwest portion of the Great Salt Lake, the engine began running hot. Because the oil temperature had reached red line, he reduced the power and continued to monitor the oil temperature for about eight to ten minutes. When he reached the southwest shoreline of the lake, the pilot began looking for a place to land so he could investigate the problem. The pilot chose to make the landing in an open snow-covered field. The pilot said that from the air it appeared the snow was about one to three inches deep, but it turned out that it was actually six to eight inches deep. When the aircraft touched down, the main wheels began to sink into the snow, and the aircraft nosed over after a ground roll of about 60 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N32308](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N32308), registered now, S/N 820 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MADORIN KITFOX III - Registry model: [Madorin Matthew KITFOX III](https://openairdocs.org/model/madorin-matthew-kitfox-iii) (registry code 05625RT) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 820 - Airframe hours: 128 - Engines: Rotax 912 UL 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Greer, Charles R. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, October 30, 1995, 18 hours before - Departed: 42U, MORGAN, UT - Destination: ENV, WENDOVER, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 8,000 total, 3 in this make and model, 4,500 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F ## 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 19960209001549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960209001549A), Feb 9, 1996: Amtrdf KITFOX, Grantsville, UT, Substantial damage. Engine overtemp on climbout. Made precautionary landing in deep snow. Nosed over. Cause over temp not addressed. 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.