Vanwinkle KITFOX N8200Q

Summary

On 30 July 1996 at about 16:50 local time, a Vanwinkle KITFOX registered N8200Q was involved in an accident near Mt Vernon, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 July 1996 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Mt Vernon, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

38.3095, -88.9104

Aircraft

Vanwinkle KITFOX

Registration

N8200Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96LA269

1 person died.

failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was found three days after it was declared missing. It had been consumed by fire after a collision with trees. Examination of wreckage revealed no mechanical anomaly that would have prevented normal flight. A witness said he observed the airplane flying level near the departure airport. He said it was at an altitude equal to other airplanes departing and arriving at the airport. The witness said the airplane suddenly pitched down, descended below trees, and did not come back up. He said he did not call the authorities because he did not hear a crash or see smoke. Also, he said the weather was clear and sunny. The coroner was an FAA DME (designated medical examiner). He said he had denied the accident pilot a medical certificate due to heart disease, but the pilot appealed his decision and was given a special medical certificate. A toxicology test and autopsy were inconclusive due to inadequate or unsuitable specimens.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.