Amateur-built KITFOX SERIES 7 STI accident near Hermiston, Oregon, March 31, 2024
On March 31, 2024, a 2021 amateur-built KITFOX SERIES 7 STI, registered N188CG, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Hermiston, Oregon (Hermiston Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a nose over. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 2024
- Place
- Hermiston, Oregon · Hermiston Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX SERIES 7 STI, built 2021
- Registration
- N188CG · registry record · serial KA18184375
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and the pilot receiving instruction were practicing takeoffs and landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. During takeoff, the pilot receiving instruction applied excessive right rudder and the airplane went to the right, he relieved the right rudder, and the airplane veered to the left, traveling diagonally across the runway. The flight instructor applied aft pressure on the stick to get the airplane airborne, simultaneously the pilot receiving instruction reduced the throttle to idle. The airplane bounced and impacted terrain and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage and wings. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 944 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 885 as pilot in command; 12 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 17, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 82 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 26 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 28, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 23, 2024; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 71 hours total
- Operator: Bracher Farms
The flight
- Departed from: KHRI Hermiston OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 451 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from GCD, 36 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGCD 310055Z AUTO 33008G15KT 10SM OVC070 10/M06 A2973 RMK AO2 T01001056
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 2, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot Receiving Instruction Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Instructor Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC24LA022.