N61AC

On October 23, 2007, at 1800, eastern daylight time, a Kitfox IV experimental airplane, N61AC, collided with trees during an emergency landing near Crescent City, Florida. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the student pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91.

The pilot stated that after his preflight inspection, he flew southeast over Crescent City Lake. He said that the engine began to slow down when the airplane was at an altitude of 1,100. He immediately applied carburetor heat and turned on the auxiliary fuel pump. Although all the instruments appeared in the normal range, the engine continued to slow down and then "quit." He said that he tried unsuccessfully to restart the engine. Subsequently, he made an emergency landing in a field and collided with trees.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that both wings were separated from the fuselage at the wing roots. Approximately 18 gallons of fuel were in both wing tanks.

After recovery of the airplane the pilot and an airframe & powerplant mechanic supplied the engine with fuel from the wing tanks and started the engine. The engine ran for 2-3 minutes at a low rpm, and no mechanical problems were found.