R O and D O Hewitt KITFOX IV-1200 N314PG

Summary

On 4 May 1999 at about 22:39 local time, a R O and D O Hewitt KITFOX IV-1200 registered N314PG was involved in an accident near Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 May 1999 at 22:39

Classification

Accident

Location

Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.5009, -80.6703

Aircraft

R O and D O Hewitt KITFOX IV-1200

Registration

N314PG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Blacksburg

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA99LA149

2 people died.

The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain airspeed and the inadvertent stall resulting in the uncontrolled descent with terrain. A factor in the accident was the impairment of the pilot by drugs (tetrahydrocannabinol).

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight departed VFR from Savannah, Georgia, and landed on Lake Kannapolis, Kannapolis, North Carolina. Witnesses on the lake stated that the airplane remained on the water for approximately 30 minutes. The airplane was positioned on the south end of the lake which has a east-west oriented causway which crosses the lake. The airplane was observed taking off to the north then after becoming airborne, the airplane remained about 5 feet above the water. While approaching the causway, the airplane was observed to pull up into a steep climb, stall, and spin to the left. The witnesses reported hearing the engine operating at what they perceived to be full throttle with no discrepancies noted. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed no evidence of engine or flight control preimpact failure or malfunction. The airplane was last inspected on October 5, 1996, there was no further condition inspections recorded. Toxicological analysis by the FAA of specimens of the pilot were positive in the blood for tetrahydrocannabinol and tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid. Tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid was also detected in the pilots urine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.