Anderson Aircraft Corp. KITFOX IV-1200 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, June 5, 1997
On June 5, 1997 at about 4:00 am local time, a Anderson Aircraft Corp. KITFOX IV-1200, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N85TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a personal 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
a seized crankshaft connecting rod bearing. A factor relating to the acciden was: the lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1997 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Anderson Aircraft Corp. KITFOX IV-1200 KITFOX IV-, amateur-built
- Registration
- N85TA · registry record · serial HCU085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 15 minutes after takeoff, the engine suddenly lost power, and the pilot performed an emergency landing in a marshy area. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed a seized crankshaft connecting rod bearing.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 340 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 268 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1997; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 95Z North Pole AK at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 32,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:57 pm from FAI, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.