Stubbe-Kitfox CLASSIC N494S
12 July 1998 · Traer, Iowa, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 12 July 1998 at about 15:03 local time, a Stubbe-Kitfox CLASSIC registered N494S was involved in an accident near Traer, Iowa, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:03
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Traer, Iowa, United States
- Nearest airport
- Traer Municiple (8C6)
- Coordinates
- 42.1904, -92.4605
- Aircraft
- Stubbe-Kitfox CLASSIC
- Registration
- N494S
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI98FA244
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
the failure of the pilot of the Kitfox to maintain flying speed (Vs).
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The experimental Kitfox had departed and according to a witness, 'The Kitfox was slow and had a definite nose-up pitch. My very first thought when I saw the Kitfox was that the pilot was, for some reason, demonstrating slow flight. But almost as quickly, I recognized an impending stall was about to happen. The wings of the Kitfox were rocking back and forth and the nose was yawing. The Kitfox then stalled and collided with the BT-13 hitting the BT-13 in the front cockpit area and right wing before impacting the ground. ... The Kitfox came to rest inverted and burst into flames immediately after impact.' According to the pilot of the BT-13, 'I was being directed by [ground personnel] who was on the ground. The Kit Fox had departed on runway 17 and stalled overhead at 50-65 feet and struck my airplane. My prop slashed through the wreckage of the airplane and then slammed the Kit Fox to the ground where it exploded.'
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stubbe-Kitfox CLASSIC CLASSIC | N494S | - | Destroyed |
| Vultee BT-15 BT-15 | N70035 | John Bryan Ruyle | Substantial |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-28-180 | Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-12 | Carrol, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Aug 1998 | Needham GLASTAR | Allison, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 May 1998 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-15 | Waterloo, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Jun 1998 | Sheets KITFOX II | Greenfield, Iowa, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 1998 | Piper PA28-151 | Jefferson, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |