Wente KITFOX III N803BW

Summary

On 19 March 1995 at about 20:15 local time, a Wente KITFOX III registered N803BW was involved in an accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 March 1995 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Berkely County (50J)

Coordinates

33.1898, -79.9893

Aircraft

Wente KITFOX III

Registration

N803BW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Summerville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL95LA067

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY RELATIVE TO THE WIND CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING THE BALKED LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, DURING FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 23, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED ABRUPTLY FROM APPROXIMATELY 12-14 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED TWICE. FOLLOWING THE SECOND BOUNCE, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE RUNWAY EDGE, AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK A PLOWED FIELD THAT WAS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. THE PILOT EXITED THE PLANE AND NOTED THAT THE WINDSOCK WAS INDICATING A 10-14 KNOT TAILWIND FOR RUNWAY 23. THE PILOT/BUILDER INDICATED THAT HE HAD NOT NOTICED THE WINDSOCK WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.