Amateur-built Kitfox III accident near Rockford, Illinois, August 19, 2012
On August 19, 2012 at about 5:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox III, registered N942EJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Rockford, Illinois (Cottonwood Airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper installation of a spark plug, which led to a partial loss of engine power after takeoff and the resultant forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2012 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rockford, Illinois · Cottonwood 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 III
- Registration
- N942EJ · registry record · serial 942
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power shortly after takeoff, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a spark plug that the pilot installed about 2 flight hours before the accident had loosened and separated from its cylinder during the accident takeoff. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if the spark plugs were tightened and rechecked when they were installed.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Spark plugs/igniters › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 108 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 21, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 5, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C8 Rockford IL at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 1C8 Rockford IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Observation at 5:54 pm from RFD, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 CEN12LA577.