Smith KITFOX CLASSIC IV N3023J

Summary

On 20 June 2002 at about 23:54 local time, a Smith KITFOX CLASSIC IV registered N3023J was involved in an accident near Limerick, Maine, 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

20 June 2002 at 23:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Limerick, Maine, United States

Coordinates

43.6836, -70.8006

Aircraft

Smith KITFOX CLASSIC IV

Registration

N3023J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Limerick → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC02LA120

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to perform a modification required by the manufacturer, which resulted in a failure of the float covering.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After performing a "routine" inspection, the floatplane was taxied from the shoreline, to the center of the lake, where it departed. The pilot observed that something was wrong with the floats as soon as the floatplane lifted off the water. He felt a slight drag, as well as noise emitting from the floats. About 500 feet above the lake, the pilot elected to return for a landing. As the floatplane was about to touchdown, the noise from the floats increased. Observing that a landing could not be accomplished, and a collision with homes was approaching, the pilot aborted the landing. While setting up for a second approach to the lake, both float coverings separated from the forward section of the float shells. The floatplane then entered into a dive, and the pilot reduced power. The floatplane impacted the water nose first, and came to rest with the tail section protruding upward. The pilot egressed from the main cabin, and swam to the shore. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the floats were fabric covered, and had a hard plastic cover that zipped onto the bottom of each float. Both of the zippers were found partially unzipped. The manufacturer of the floats issued a Product Bulletin on November 20, 1998, which addressed a defect with the zippers installed on the floats. If any defects were observed with the zippers, the entire zipper would have to be replaced as a set. The manufacture also provided, free of charge, a kit that would provide a secondary means of keeping the hull cap attached to the float in the event of a zipper failure. The bulletin further stated, "This is a mandatory, permanent, modification that must be carried out before further flight." No maintenance logbooks for the airplane were recovered; however, the pilot stated that the previous owner of the floatplane had not complied with the manufacture's Product Bulletin, nor did he.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.