Summary
On September 05, 2008, a Smith Wylie Jay Kit Fox II (N8188F) was involved in an incident near Deatville, AL. 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: The pilot's inadequate fuel system maintenance.
The pilot of the amateur-built Kit Fox II stated that he completed an approximate 20-minute cross-country flight uneventfully. While in flight, the airplane performed well with no problems, and he landed at a private airstrip. After the visit, he elected to depart back to his home airport. No anomalies were detected during the ground run-up. During the takeoff, about 150 feet above ground level, the engine "failed." The pilot elected not to land straight ahead due to the large trees. He entered a gentle turn to the left and aimed for a patch of small pine trees. When the impact became imminent, he slowed the airplane as much as possible. The airplane impacted the top of the trees about 30 mph. After breaking off several small tops, the right wing contacted a large tree.
This incident is documented in NTSB report MIA08CA183. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8188F.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate fuel system maintenance.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot of the amateur-built Kit Fox II stated that he completed an approximate 20-minute cross-country flight uneventfully. While in flight, the airplane performed well with no problems, and he landed at a private airstrip. After the visit, he elected to depart back to his home airport. No anomalies were detected during the ground run-up. During the takeoff, about 150 feet above ground level, the engine "failed." The pilot elected not to land straight ahead due to the large trees. He entered a gentle turn to the left and aimed for a patch of small pine trees. When the impact became imminent, he slowed the airplane as much as possible. The airplane impacted the top of the trees about 30 mph. After breaking off several small tops, the right wing contacted a large tree. Upon this impact, the airplane stopped forward motion and began to descend to the ground. The right wing caught a branch and the airplane impacted the ground left wing tip first. The pilot was able to exit the airplane on his own and was uninjured.
The postaccident examination discovered that small particles of debris in the fuel had lodged in the fuel inlet port of the carburetor. The pilot had been trouble-shooting an intermittent engine problem and had just replaced the fuel hoses from the fuel tank to the carburetors before the flight. He did not reinstall the fuel in-line filters at that time.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# MIA08CA183