Amateur-built Kitfox III accident near Evansville, Wisconsin, October 27, 2002
On October 27, 2002 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox III, registered N192MB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Evansville, Wisconsin (Private Airstrip 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 power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor is the unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2002 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Wisconsin · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox III
- Registration
- N192MB · no longer on the register · serial 1102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a cornfield after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that he was turning from left base to final when the engine failed. He reported, "I applied power and the engine would not come up in RPM's and/or seized." He landed in a cornfield about 500 feet from the approach end of his private grass airstrip. The inspection of the engine and flight controls revealed continuity and no anomalies were noted. The engine was removed from the airframe and placed on an engine test stand. The engine started without effort and produced power as designed. No abnormalities were noted. The pilot reported that the local temperature was 5 degrees Celsius and the dew point was - 3 degrees Celsius. The Transport Canada Carburetor Icing Chart indicates that the possibility of "Serious icing" existed when "descent power" was used.
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
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 313 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 224 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 2002; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582LC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Evansville WI at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 1,000 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MSN, 60 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.