Hartline J Bon HARTLINE KITFOX III N422K

Summary

On 22 July 2025 at about 22:40 local time, a Hartline J Bon HARTLINE KITFOX III registered N422K was involved in an accident near Logan, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 2025 at 22:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Logan, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Logan Cache Airport (LGU)

Coordinates

41.7900, -111.8500

Aircraft

Hartline J Bon HARTLINE KITFOX III

Registration

N422K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1991

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

WPR25LA227

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff in variable wind and high density altitude conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during takeoff roll, the airplane did not lift off when expected, and that the controls were sluggish. He applied flaps and the airplane “popped up off the runway.” Once airborne, the airplane began to drift to the right and despite the pilot’s corrections, continued to drift to the right. Subsequently, the airplane descended, landed hard, and came to rest upright, about 90° off runway heading. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He added that prior to takeoff, he did not check the windsock prior to takeoff and did not compensate enough for the high density altitude and the airplane being near its maximum gross weight. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taking off on runway 28, with wind variable from 180° to 270° at 9 knots. The calculated density altitude at the time of the accident was 7,501 ft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.