Amateur-built KITFOX IV accident near Merritt Island, Florida, October 27, 1996
On October 27, 1996 at about 7:55 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX IV, registered N11LG, was destroyed in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the failure of the pilots to maintain airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1996 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX IV
- Registration
- N11LG · registry record · serial C94030009
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The homebuilt airplane was being flown on its first flight by the owner and a flight instructor. After takeoff, while turning crosswind, the engine was heard to sputter and quit. The airplane was observed to stall, begin to spin, recover, then enter a secondary stall, about 75 feet agl, followed by a nose down impact with the ground. The airplane was nearly consumed by the ground fire that occurred on impact. Witnesses reported that the owner had experienced a problem with the engine idling too fast and had corrected it. Aircraft records were not available for examination.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 558 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru E-81 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: COI at 7:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MLB, 15 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.
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 ATL97LA010.