Amateur-built CLASSIC and Vultee BT-15 accident near Traer, Iowa, July 12, 1998
On July 12, 1998 at about 3:03 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built CLASSIC (N494S) and Vultee BT-15 (N70035), were involved in the same accident near Traer, Iowa (Traer Municiple airport). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot of the Kitfox to maintain flying speed (Vs).
the failure of the pilot of the Kitfox to maintain flying speed (Vs).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1998 · about 3:03 pm local time
- Place
- Traer, Iowa · Traer Municiple · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built CLASSIC
- Registration
- N494S · no longer on the register · serial C9404-0019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Vultee BT-15
- Registration
- N70035 · registry record · serial 1142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built CLASSIC final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental Kitfox had departed and according to a witness, 'The Kitfox was slow and had a definite nose-up pitch. My very first thought when I saw the Kitfox was that the pilot was, for some reason, demonstrating slow flight. But almost as quickly, I recognized an impending stall was about to happen. The wings of the Kitfox were rocking back and forth and the nose was yawing. The Kitfox then stalled and collided with the BT-13 hitting the BT-13 in the front cockpit area and right wing before impacting the ground. ... The Kitfox came to rest inverted and burst into flames immediately after impact.' According to the pilot of the BT-13, 'I was being directed by [ground personnel] who was on the ground. The Kit Fox had departed on runway 17 and stalled overhead at 50-65 feet and struck my airplane. My prop slashed through the wreckage of the airplane and then slammed the Kit Fox to the ground where it exploded.'
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 NTSB's narrative for the Vultee BT-15 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental Kitfox had departed and according to a witness, 'The Kitfox was slow and had a definite nose-up pitch. My very first thought when I saw the Kitfox was that the pilot was, for some reason, demonstrating slow flight. But almost as quickly, I recognized an impending stall was about to happen. The wings of the Kitfox were rocking back and forth and the nose was yawing. The Kitfox then stalled and collided with the BT-13 hitting the BT-13 in the front cockpit area and right wing before impacting the ground. ... The Kitfox came to rest inverted and burst into flames immediately after impact.' According to the pilot of the BT-13, 'I was being directed by [ground personnel] who was on the ground. The Kit Fox had departed on runway 17 and stalled overhead at 50-65 feet and struck my airplane. My prop slashed through the wreckage of the airplane and then slammed the Kit Fox to the ground where it exploded.'
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 for the amateur-built CLASSIC from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 282 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru MDL A/B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 8C6
- Destination: 8C6
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,550 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from ALO, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Vultee BT-15 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,260 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,067 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1998; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,745 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IOW Iowa City IA
- Destination: 8C6
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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 N494S 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.