Comeaux KITFOX 1 N594KF

Summary

On 30 August 1997 at about 15:04 local time, a Comeaux KITFOX 1 registered N594KF, operated by Scott H. Oakley, was involved in an accident near Bend, Oregon, United States. 2 people were 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

30 August 1997 at 15:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Bend, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Bend Municipal (S07)

Coordinates

44.0698, -121.2503

Aircraft

Comeaux KITFOX 1

Registration

N594KF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Scott H. Oakley

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA97LA199

Nobody was injured.

The private pilot-in-command's failure to ensure that directional control was maintained. A related factor was the private pilot's lack of total flight experience.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft was occupied by a recently certificated private pilot (who owned the aircraft) in the left seat and a commercial pilot in the right seat. The private pilot/owner originally identified himself as the pilot flying at the time of the accident, stating takeoff was normal until the aircraft reached an altitude of 50 feet above ground level (AGL), where the airplane began an uncommanded right roll and subsequently cartwheeled. He subsequently changed his account, stating he asked the right-seat occupant if she wanted to do the takeoff and that she replied she did. He stated that during the takeoff, he applied throttle and she kept the airplane straight, and that at an altitude of 50 to 60 feet AGL, the airplane yawed to the right. He stated he assumed that as an experienced pilot, she would correct the yaw, but this did not occur. The airplane reached a nose angle of 90 degrees to the runway and subsequently crashed. The right-seat occupant denied flying the aircraft at the time of the accident, stating that she could not reach the rudder pedals. The aircraft's flight controls were found to be intact and functional in a post-accident examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.