Amateur-built KITFOX accident near Crawfordsville, Indiana, November 9, 1986
On November 9, 1986 at about 10:20 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX, registered N371DT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crawfordsville, Indiana (Crawfordsville 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1986 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Crawfordsville, Indiana · Crawfordsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX
- Registration
- N371DT · no longer on the register · serial 37
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE WAS PREPARING FOR THE ACFT'S 1ST TEST FLT, HE MADE A HI SPEED RUN WITH THE TAIL RAISED & ACFT CONTROL WAS GOOD. ON THE NEXT RUN, HE PLANNED TO LET THE ACFT LIFT OFF THE RWY, THEN LET IT SETTLE BACK ON THE SURFACE. HE STATED THAT HE APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, & AFTER THE ACFT ROLLED APRX 100', IT 'LIFTED OFF AT A HIGH ANGLE OF CLIMB, FULL FORWARD ELEVATOR & THROTTLE REDUCTION BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO LEVEL FLIGHT, 20-30' ABOVE RUNWAY.' THE ACFT THEN BGN TO ROLL & SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED DOWN & IMPACTED THE GND ABOUT 75' OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT WAS WEAR- ING A SHOULDER HARNESS & WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED (AFT FUSELAGE/EMPENNAGE BADLY BENT BTN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT & HORIZONTAL STABILIZER). THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF CONTROL WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE STUDENT PLT HAD NO PREVIOUS FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT & WAS NOT ENDORSED FOR THE FLT.
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: 92 hours in all; 7 in the last 90 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 9, 1986; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.