# NTSB WPR19TA018: Audenried Kitfox S7 SuperSport, N13NZ, Flanigan, NV, November 3, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Final report - Date: November 3, 2018, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Flanigan, NV - Coordinates: 40.106388, -119.872779 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1064&lon=-119.8728&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report July 8, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 98590 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19TA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98590/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98590 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19TA018 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a sharp turn at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05637TR), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05637TR), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=05637TR), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270) (defining event); cases with it: [Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md?model=05637TR), [All aircraft, 346 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05637TR), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05637TR), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that he took off from a dry lake bed with a second airplane for people on the ground to visually compare the two. After a normal flight, the second airplane landed. The pilot flew past the landing spot, pulled into a nose-high attitude, and made a rapid left turn. He pushed on the left rudder control, and the left wing stalled. The pilot attempted to recover from the stall; however, the airplane was at too low of an altitude to recover, and it impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot failed to maintain airspeed during the sharp turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. ## Factual narrative On November 3, 2018, about 1000 Pacific daylight time, an amateur built Audenried Kitfox S7 Super Sport airplane, N13NZ, impacted terrain while maneuvering over a dry lake bed near Flanigan, Nevada. The commercial pilot was seriously injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the Reno/Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada at 0830. The pilot reported that he took off from a dry lake bed with a second airplane for people on the ground to visually compare the two. After a normal flight, the second airplane landed. The pilot reported that he flew past the landing spot and pulled into a nose high attitude and made a rapid left turn. He pushed on the left rudder control, and the left wing stalled. The pilot attempted to recover from the stall; however, the airplane was too low, and it impacted the ground in a nose low attitude. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N13NZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13NZ-2021-10-30), registration cancelled 2021-10-30, S/N KA18031360, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Audenried Kitfox S7 SuperSport - Registry model: [Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR](https://openairdocs.org/model/nicholas-audenried-kitfox-s7-super-spor) (registry code 05637TR) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: KA18031360 - Year built: 2018 - Airframe hours: 125.4 - Engines: ROTAX 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, August 20, 2018, 125 hours before - Departed: RTS, Reno/Stead Airp, NV - Destination: RTS, Reno/Stead Airp, NV ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 26, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,297 total, 150 in this make and model, 1,254 as pilot in command, 253 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.37 inHg - Observed at: RTS, 27 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 20181103016919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181103016919A), Nov 3, 2018: Nicholas Audenried KITFOX S7 SUPER SPOR, Flanigan, NV, Destroyed. During low level maneuverilng at low speed, aircraft stalled and impacted the ground in a steep nose down attitude ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98590. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469582&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 2, .PDF, 140 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469584&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-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.