Amateur-built KITFOX SPEEDSTER accident near Georgetown, Texas, May 26, 2020
On May 26, 2020 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 1998 amateur-built KITFOX SPEEDSTER, registered N580LD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown Municipal 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2020 · about 3:15 pm local time · cases in 2020
- Place
- Georgetown, Texas · Georgetown Municipal Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX SPEEDSTER IV1200, built 1998
- Registration
- N580LD · registry record · serial HBS043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that during the personal flight he intended to stay in the airport traffic pattern and performed a touch-and-go landing. He said that he flew a normal approach with wing flaps halfway extended and 60 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). Over the runway numbers, the pilot slowed the airplane to 55 KIAS and began a landing flare. The pilot said he thought the three-point landing was good, but the airplane made a hard-left turn. The airplane departed the left side of the runway into soft turf. The right wing struck terrain and the airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported there was no mechanical malfunction/failure with the airplane.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 352 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 28, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 1, 2019; 1,026 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 1,026 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTU Georgetown TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: GTU Georgetown TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from GTU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 29, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N580LD on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Rotax 912UL 134 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Georgetown Executive · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN20CA196.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.