D'amico KITFOX SERIES 7 N1852N

Summary

On 5 June 2004 at about 16:30 local time, a D'amico KITFOX SERIES 7 registered N1852N was involved in an accident near Caldwell, Idaho, 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

5 June 2004 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Caldwell, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Caldwell Industrial (EUL)

Coordinates

47.5891, -116.9099

Aircraft

D'amico KITFOX SERIES 7

Registration

N1852N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Caldwell → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA04LA103

Nobody was injured.

The disconnection of the elevator pitch control assembly and the pitch rod during the takeoff as a result of an unsecured bolt.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he accomplished his normal run-up and control checks prior to takeoff. The pilot stated that as the aircraft was accelerating during the takeoff ground roll, he suddenly could not feel the usual back-pressure on the elevator control. The pilot checked the manual trim and confirmed that it was in the takeoff position and as he was about to reduce power to abort the takeoff, the "...plane catapulted up in the air at a high angle of attack, without pitch control input from me." The pilot stated that he immediately put the manual pitch trim control in a nose-down range and the airplane responded "violently." The pilot continued to manipulate the elevator trim as the aircraft oscillated three to four times before gradually attaining a more level attitude. The aircraft landed hard and flat on the remaining runway, subsequently breaking the nose gear wheel, and damaging the propeller and main gear. Further damage included buckled floor boards and structural damage to the fuselage. Post-accident inspection of the airplane found that the connecting bolt between the pitch control assembly and the pitch rod (to the elevator) had come off. The bolt was located, however, the self-locking castle nut with a nylon insert which the pilot stated that he used to secure the bolt was not located.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.