Syracuse KITFOX N94CV

Summary

On 24 December 2005 at about 16:25 local time, a Syracuse KITFOX registered N94CV was involved in an accident near Niwot, Colorado, 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

24 December 2005 at 16:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Niwot, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

40.0394, -105.2258

Aircraft

Syracuse KITFOX

Registration

N94CV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Erie → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN06LA026

2 people died.

The pilot's improper in-flight decision to perform aerobatics at a low altitude resulting in a loss of control and impact with terrain. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of aerobatic experience.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the airplane flying low over a reservoir, pull straight up, perform a "barrel roll", reverse direction, and depart the area. Approximately 30 minutes later, the airplane returned to the area, flying in an east to west direction, approximately 100 to 200 feet agl over the ice-covered reservoir. As the airplane reached the west end of the reservoir, the airplane went straight up and performed an aerobatic "barrel roll" maneuver. The airplane then descended straight down and impacted the edge of the ice-covered reservoir in a nose-down attitude. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded operation. The pilot had not logged any formal aerobatic training.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.