WPR14CA279

NTSB accident investigation · Wiley Kitfox IV · Sprague, WA · July 3, 2014

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 2, 2014, 20:30 local (Jul 3, 2014, 03:30 UTC)
Place
Sprague, WA
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N5KWWiley Kitfox IV
Defining event
Approach: Collision during takeoff/land
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Status
Completed · report September 30, 2014
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Adminstration
FAA report
20140702010439A
Case key
89599

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

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from powerlines during the landing approach resulting in a collision.

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.

Performance/control parameters: altitudeAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedWiley Kenneth KITFOX IV: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,310 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: wireEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Response/compensationWiley Kenneth KITFOX IV: 1 caseAll aircraft: 588 casesProbable cause

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

The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to practice taxiing in his recently purchased airplane. While taxiing, the airplane unintentionally became airborne and the pilot decided that in an effort to not collide with an electric fence ahead, he would need to add full power and fly the airplane in a traffic pattern to come back and land. Despite being aware of a powerline in the area, the pilot collided with it during his third landing attempt. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to practice taxiing in his recently purchased airplane. While taxiing, the airplane unintentionally became airborne which the pilot accredited to a combination of a weather inversion, vortex generators, and a three-blade propeller which produced enough lift at a slow groundspeed. The pilot decided that in an effort to not collide with an electric fence ahead, he would need to add full power and fly the airplane in a traffic pattern to come back and land. The pilot maneuvered to land on his grass strip and aborted the landing after assessing that the terrain would not be suitable. He maneuvered to an area about 0.5 miles away knowing that the terrain would be flat and adequate length. He was familiar with the area and knew that powerlines ran perpendicular to his flight path. During the approach, he again elected to go-around and configured the airplane for his third attempt to land. While on the final approach, the pilot reduced the power and the airplane rapidly lost altitude, resulting in a collision with the powerlines and collision with the ground. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N5KW
Reported as
Wiley Kitfox IV
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
1658
Built
1994
Airframe hours
806
Engine
Rotax 912 UL, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Walker Mark L
Registered owner
Walker Mark L
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · September 2, 2013
Departed
Sprague, WA
Destination
Sprague, WA

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
54
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Seat
Left
Flight hours
80 total · 0 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F, dew point 54 °F
Altimeter
27.55 inHg

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 25, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.4 MB 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.