Summary
On June 04, 1997, a Kohles KITFOX III (N515JK) was involved in an incident near Meadow Grove, NE. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted takeoff. A factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience in the make and model of airplane.
On June 4, at 1730 central daylight time, a KitFox III, N515JK, exited the prepared runway surface, following a loss of directional control during a takeoff roll near Meadow Grove, Nebraska. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was departing in visual meteorological conditions for the local planed flight. No flight plan was on file. The pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was completing a FAA Private Pilot Proficiency Check when the incident occurred. The proficiency check was a result of the pilot having a previous incident in the same KitFox earlier in the year.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CHI97LA158. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N515JK.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted takeoff. A factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience in the make and model of airplane.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On June 4, at 1730 central daylight time, a KitFox III, N515JK, exited the prepared runway surface, following a loss of directional control during a takeoff roll near Meadow Grove, Nebraska. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was departing in visual meteorological conditions for the local planed flight. No flight plan was on file. The pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was completing a FAA Private Pilot Proficiency Check when the incident occurred. The proficiency check was a result of the pilot having a previous incident in the same KitFox earlier in the year. It was the first time the pilot had attempted to fly the airplane since the last incident.
Being observed by an FAA inspector on the ground, the pilot was instructed to complete three touch & go's. The pilot reported that on the initial takeoff roll, "the tail didn't appear to come up with the stick forward. I tried to abort the take off but couldn't get the throttle pulled back. While struggling with the throttle I lost control." The airplane veered to the left, exited the prepared runway surface, coming to rest in an adjacent field. Subsequently, after the accident, the pilot stated that he didn't know how to use the vernier type throttle properly.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI97LA158