Daniel J Zoerb KITFOX N715DZ

Summary

On 9 June 2000 at about 14:30 local time, a Daniel J Zoerb KITFOX registered N715DZ was involved in an accident near Spruce Pine, North Carolina, 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

9 June 2000 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Spruce Pine, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.9099, -82.0595

Aircraft

Daniel J Zoerb KITFOX

Registration

N715DZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Marion

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL00LA062

1 person was seriously injured.

A total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing conditions. A factor was the mountainous, unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was planning to fly to another airport located 13.5 nm to the south of the departure airport for the purpose of having an annual maintenance inspection performed on the airplane. While 3 miles south of the departure airport in cruise flight at 1,000 ft. agl, the airplane's engine gradually lost power. The airplane collided with trees in a heavily wooded area, descended approximately 80 feet to the ground, then nosed over. The last annual inspection on the airframe and the engine was performed on January 1, 1997, and the airplane had flown five hours since the last inspection was performed. An on-scene examination of the airframe and engine by an FAA inspector revealed no mechanical discrepancies, and evidence of fuel was found at the accident site. Weather conditions at the time were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.