Amateur-built Kitfox IV accident near Odessa, Missouri, June 17, 2023
On June 17, 2023 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1994 amateur-built Kitfox IV, registered N4287Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Odessa, Missouri (Rollert Farm airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain the proper touchdown speed, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2023 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Odessa, Missouri · Rollert Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox IV NO SERIES, built 1994
- Registration
- N4287Y · registry record · serial 1661T1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during landing, the airplane touched down “slightly fast” and the airplane departed the end of the turf runway into an overrun area that had softer ground. When the airplane entered the overrun, it nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,189 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 6,911 as pilot in command; 2,288 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 4, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 282 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 26, 2023; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 625 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KMCI, 38 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMCI 171653Z 13008KT 10SM BKN160 BKN 250 27/19 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP110 T02720189 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2023. 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 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.