Shank KITFOX MODEL II N2136F

Summary

On 28 August 2001 at about 18:30 local time, a Shank KITFOX MODEL II registered N2136F was involved in an accident near Battle Ground, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 2001 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Battle Ground, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Goheen (W52)

Coordinates

45.8008, -122.4804

Aircraft

Shank KITFOX MODEL II

Registration

N2136F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Battle Ground → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA01LA160

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during climbout.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident aircraft was assembled for flight at the airport immediately before the accident flight. The pilot reported that following a normal takeoff and climbout, at approximately 150 feet above ground level and 50 MPH, he experienced a simultaneous reduction in airspeed and rate of climb. The airport owner reported that he watched the aircraft take off and get to an altitude about 200 to 250 feet above the runway when it began to flounder and mush as it drifted off to the right of the runway. The airport owner reported that the aircraft then settled into the trees and crashed. The airport owner stated that the aircraft took what he felt was an excessive take off roll, about 1,000 feet, and that the aircraft did not appear to have an excessive angle of attack as the aircraft climbed out. He also stated that the engine appeared to be operating normally and that he did not notice any power loss. The airport owner reported that the winds at the airport surface were calm when the accident happened. METAR weather observations at several nearby weather observation facilities near the time of the accident reported generally northerly to northwesterly or variable winds at 5 to 7 knots, with clear skies or few clouds and no significant temperature or pressure gradients across the area. According to performance specifications published by the aircraft kit manufacturer, a comparable model in the Kitfox line with power loading in the range of the accident aircraft has a takeoff roll of 250 feet, a climb rate of 1,200 to 1,450 feet per minute, and a stall speed of 37 MPH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.