Amateur-built KITFOX III accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina, March 19, 1995
On March 19, 1995 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX III, registered N803BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina (Berkely County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY RELATIVE TO THE WIND CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING THE BALKED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1995 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Moncks Corner, South Carolina · Berkely County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX III
- Registration
- N803BW · no longer on the register · serial 803
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, DURING FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 23, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED ABRUPTLY FROM APPROXIMATELY 12-14 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED TWICE. FOLLOWING THE SECOND BOUNCE, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE RUNWAY EDGE, AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK A PLOWED FIELD THAT WAS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. THE PILOT EXITED THE PLANE AND NOTED THAT THE WINDSOCK WAS INDICATING A 10-14 KNOT TAILWIND FOR RUNWAY 23. THE PILOT/BUILDER INDICATED THAT HE HAD NOT NOTICED THE WINDSOCK WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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
- Flight time: 213 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 176 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 113 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 19, 1995; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier 582 UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 71S Summerville SC at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,801 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from CHS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N803BW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.