Lundak Robert KITFOX IV N99FL

Summary

On 24 September 2014 at about 21:15 local time, a Lundak Robert KITFOX IV registered N99FL was involved in an accident near Sonoma, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 September 2014 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Sonoma, California, United States

Coordinates

38.2231, -122.3589

Aircraft

Lundak Robert KITFOX IV

Registration

N99FL

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sonoma → Hayward

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14CA388

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate fuel management which resulted in an engine failure due to fuel starvation and subsequent collision with power lines during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that about 10 minutes after departing, with the airplane configured for cruise flight at about 2,000 feet above ground level (agl), the engine experienced a loss of power. The airplane began to descend and the pilot spotted a road to perform an emergency landing. Around 750 feet agl the pilot then turned on the fuel wing tank valves, but the engine failed to restart. The road became obscured by trees due to an s-bend and as he descended closer, he observed a vehicle ahead. As he turned away from the road, the airplane struck power lines that were along the road. The airframe structure was substantially damaged. The pilot later stated that he believed that the engine experienced a loss of power due to the fuel valves being off on the wing tanks. The system was designed as such that each wing tank had a shut off valve prior to the fuel reaching a five gallon header tank. He thought it was likely that the airplane was able to depart and be in cruise for the 10 minute duration by exhausting all of the fuel that was in the header tank. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.