Amateur-built Kitfox 6 accident near Montrose, Colorado, May 18, 2004
On May 18, 2004 at about 10:43 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox 6, registered N3079H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montrose, Colorado (Montrose Regional 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 maintain aircraft control during takeoff initial climb. A contributing factor was the gusting left tailwind weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2004 · about 10:43 pm local time
- Place
- Montrose, Colorado · Montrose Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox 6
- Registration
- N3079H · registry record · serial 2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing on runway 31. Immediately after liftoff, he said a gust of wind (200 degrees for 25 knots) struck his airplane. The airplane fell to the ground and departed the right side of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane rotated to the left approximately 180 degrees, causing the right main gear to be folded back and bending the empennage approximately 80 degrees to the left.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,230 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 124 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 712 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTJ Montrose CO at 10:43 pm
- Destination: PVU Provo UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,509 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MTJ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.