# NTSB WPR16LA011: Christopher Tom Kitfox 5, N533RC, Battle Ground, WA, October 14, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 14, 2015, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Battle Ground, WA - Coordinates: 45.838333, -122.546669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8383&lon=-122.5467&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 92174 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR16LA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92174/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92174 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA011 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Christopher Tom KITFOX -5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05608S2), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Christopher Tom KITFOX -5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=05608S2), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Christopher Tom KITFOX -5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05608S2), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Christopher Tom KITFOX -5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05608S2), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Christopher Tom KITFOX -5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05608S2), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [After landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Christopher Tom KITFOX -5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05608S2), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff from his grass airstrip for a local, personal flight, the engine began running roughly but that it then regained full power. The airplane climbed to about 300 ft above ground level, at which point, the engine began running roughly again, and it then lost all power. When the pilot realized that the airplane could not reach a nearby airport, he maneuvered the airplane back toward the grass airstrip because there were multiple fields in the area. As the pilot maneuvered around trees and fences for the forced landing, the airplane impacted a fence, nosed over, and then came to rest inverted. The pilot had refueled the airplane with automotive fuel from a container. The pilot stated that, although he drained fuel from the fuel tanks during the preflight inspection and found no contaminants, he thought that there might have been some water in the fuel line. Postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On October 14, 2015, about 1145 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur built Christopher Kitfox 5 airplane, N533RC, collided with a fence following a loss of engine power during the takeoff climb from a private grass strip near Battle Ground, Washington. The private pilot and passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, after take off from his grass airstrip, he made a left 45o climbing turn when the engine began to run rough, then it regained full power. The airplane climbed to about 300 ft above ground when the engine ran rough again, then lost power. The pilot realized that he did not have sufficient altitude to make it to nearby Goheen Airport (W52), Battle Ground so he turned back toward the departure airstrip as he knew there were multiple open fields in the area. As he maneuvered around trees and fences for a forced landing, the airplane subsequently collided with a fence and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The pilot stated that he had drained fuel during the preflight check and reported no water present; however, he believed that there may have been a "slug of water" in the fuel line. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the engine. The pilot had fueled the airplane from a nearby gas station. The fuel is placed in a plastic cylindrical gas container and then the airplane is refueled. A visual inspection of the fuel revealed no contamination. The sample of fuel recovered from the filter housing was opaque and cloudy compared to the sample taken from the airplane's header tank. The FAA inspector reported that after cleaning the oil-soaked spark plugs, and installing a fuel filter, he checked the fuel pressure of both pumps at 48 psi, which fell in the normal operating range of the fuel pump. The engine was then started and ran normally, except for a vibration, which was attributed to the broken propeller blades. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N533RC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N533RC-2019-03-12), registration cancelled 2019-03-12, S/N 0127, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CHRISTOPHER TOM KITFOX 5 - Registry model: [Christopher Tom KITFOX -5](https://openairdocs.org/model/christopher-tom-kitfox-5) (registry code 05608S2) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0127 - Year built: 2001 - Airframe hours: 342 - Engines: Firewall Forward CAM 125 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 9, 2015, 27 hours before - Departed: NA, Battle Ground, WA - Destination: NA, Battle Ground, WA - Airport: NA, Private Strip, runway NA, 2,000 × 40 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 5, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 288 total, 185 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: SPB, 250 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 20151014016949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151014016949A), Oct 14, 2015: Christopher Tom KITFOX -5, Battleground, WA, Substantial damage. The pilot manuvered the aircraft from a takeoff at his home airport into a climb when the engine began to run rough. After avoiding several large trees he set… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92174. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472048&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472049&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472050&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Engine Examination (item 4, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472051&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Examination-Master.PDF 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.