- Date
- January 4, 2011, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Homedale, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N90TYFerkin Kitfox IV
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110104000029A
- Case key
- 78115
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 inadequate compensation for the snow-covered terrain during the takeoff ground roll, which resulted in a nose-over.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, the oil pressure gauge indicated no oil pressure. The pilot performed a precautionary landing on a snow-covered hill. He examined the airplane and discovered that the sending wire had disconnected from the oil pressure gauge. He plugged it in and the oil pressure gauge functioned properly. He estimated that the snow cover was 4 inches deep. During the takeoff roll, he raised the tailwheel and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that he should have used soft-field takeoff techniques due to the snow-covered terrain.
Factual narrative
The pilot submitted a written statement. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, the oil pressure gauge showed no oil pressure. The pilot performed a precautionary landing on a snow-covered hill. He examined the airplane and discovered that the sending wire had disconnected from the oil pressure gauge. He plugged it in and the oil pressure gauge functioned properly. He estimated that the snow cover was 4 inches deep. During the takeoff roll, he raised the tailwheel. The airplane then nosed-over. The pilot stated that he should have used soft-field takeoff techniques due to the snow-covered terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90TY
- Reported as
- Ferkin Kitfox IV
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1510
- Airframe hours
- 61
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ty Ferkin
- Registered owner
- Mark Ferkin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 30, 2010
- Departed
- S66 · Homedale, ID
- Destination
- 28U · Owyhee, OR
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
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 23, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 325 total · 20 in this make and model · 305 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.42 inHg
- Observed at
- EUL, 13 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 346 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N90TY · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.