Amateur-built Kitfox Model III accident near Fairmont, Minnesota, July 4, 2002
On July 4, 2002 at about 2:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox Model III, registered N76WH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairmont, Minnesota. 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
Failure by the pilot to obtain adequate clearance from the tree line, as well as a failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner. A contributing factor was the tree line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2002 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fairmont, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox Model III
- Registration
- N76WH · registry record · serial 756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted to depart an alfalfa field adjacent to his home. After becoming airborne, he crossed a road and a railroad track adjacent to the field, and impacted a tree line running along the tracks. The pilot held a student pilot certificate without a solo endorsment.
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: 120 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from FRM, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N76WH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.