Kitfox SPEEDSTER N525PP

Summary

On 24 September 2020 at about 20:30 local time, a Kitfox SPEEDSTER registered N525PP was involved in an accident near Leadville, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 September 2020 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Leadville, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.2508, -106.2925

Aircraft

Kitfox SPEEDSTER

Registration

N525PP

Category

Airplane

Year built

1998

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA424

1 person was seriously injured.

A partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s improper maintenance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the airplane reported that the airplane used more runway than expected to get airborne. After rotating, the airplane settled back to the runway surface, then became airborne again. The airplane did not climb normally despite the throttle being in the full power position. The pilot decided to land the airplane straight ahead in a field. Upon landing, the right wing impacted a small tree, and the airplane came to rest upright, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed a plugged carburetor breather tube that was not impact related damage. The pilot reported that he plugged the tube with a screw 2 days before the accident, mistakenly thinking that it was a primer line. The plugged breather tube most likely created a back pressure of fuel distribution to the cylinders and resulted in partial fuel starvation to the engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.