Ray E Roberts KITFOX V VIXEN N52367

Summary

On 26 August 2022 at about 22:20 local time, a Ray E Roberts KITFOX V VIXEN registered N52367 was involved in an accident near Caldwell, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 August 2022 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Caldwell, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Caldwell Executive Airport (EUL)

Coordinates

43.6480, -116.6379

Aircraft

Ray E Roberts KITFOX V VIXEN

Registration

N52367

Category

Airplane

Year built

2014

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR22LA322

1 person had minor injuries.

The partial loss of engine power due to a loose wire leading to the engine’s electronic control unit (ECU). Contributing was the pilot’s exceedance of the critical angle of attack while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for recovery.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot planned to take off and remain in the traffic pattern as part of a post-maintenance test flight of the airplane. After climbing to about 200 ft above the runway, the engine started to gradually lose power to about 15-20% engine power. The pilot had begun maneuvering the airplane for a forced landing when it entered an aerodynamic stall. The pilot attempted to recover from the stall; however, the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing, wing struts, and empennage. Postaccident examination determined that the power supply wire for the experimental engine’s electronic control unit (ECU) was loose in the crimped terminal. It is likely that during the flight, the intermittent power source to the ECU activated the engine’s “limp mode,” which resulted in a reduction of engine power to a level that was insufficient to maintain altitude. The engine’s limp mode is a safety feature designed to protect the engine and powertrain in automotive applications.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.