Amateur-built KITFOX 2 accident near Mt. Morris, Michigan, June 23, 2001
On June 23, 2001 at about 10:03 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX 2, registered N789MK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Morris, Michigan (Private 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 loss of partial engine power during takeoff for undetermined reasons. A factor relating to this accident was the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2001 · about 10:03 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Morris, Michigan · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX 2
- Registration
- N789MK · no longer on the register · serial 454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that during the takeoff roll, everything seemed to be all right. He said he began to notice that the power was diminishing as he got further down the runway. He said that he was beyond the point where he could safely abort. He got about 30 feet into the air and realized the airplane was not going to sustain flight. The pilot decided to put the airplane down in a nearby pasture. During the landing attempt, the airplane's wing struck a tree and then the ground. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 225 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 2001; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mt. Morris MI at 10:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 900 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from FNT, 10 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.