Amateur-built KITFOX XL accident near Homestead, Florida, February 14, 1998
On February 14, 1998 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX XL, registered N9272V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida (Burrs Strawberry Farm 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 student pilot's improper touchdown flare during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1998 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Burrs Strawberry Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX XL
- Registration
- N9272V · no longer on the register · serial JCX013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach to land, the student pilot realized that he was too high for a normal touchdown. The student pilot initiated a slip maneuver to lose altitude. He reported that the airplane was not completely aligned with the runway during the slip maneuver. According to an eyewitness at the airstrip, the airplane touched down hard on the runway. After the touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded off the runway and collided with a tree. Subsequent to the accident, the student pilot was given additional flight training in conventional landing gear 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: student
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Great Plains 2100 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X51 at 4:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:59 pm from HST, 180 miles away
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.
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.