Amateur-built KITFOX accident near Hartford, Connecticut, July 8, 2008
On July 8, 2008 at about 2:15 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX, registered N767JD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Hartford, Connecticut (Hartford-Brainard Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to compensate for crosswinds resulting in a loss of directional control while landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience and training in tailwheeled airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2008 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hartford, Connecticut · Hartford-Brainard Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX
- Registration
- N767JD · registry record · serial 672
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings with a passenger in his experimental tailwheel-equipped airplane. On the fourth touch and go, the pilot decided to land on a different runway with a mild crosswind, where he veered off the right side of the runway. He tried to conduct a go-around, but departed the right side of the runway and hit a taxiway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot's written statement suggested that his inexperience in tailwheel aircraft was likely the root cause and that additional training in tailwheel aircraft was appropriate.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 7,100 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 18, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 246 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 29, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HFD Hartford CT
- Destination: HFD Hartford CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,314 ft by 71 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Observation at 2:00 pm from KHFD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.