Amateur-built KitFox Series 5 accident near La Porte, Texas, October 5, 2005
On October 5, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built KitFox Series 5, registered N40120, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Porte, Texas (La Porte Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 obtain/maintain adequate airspeed on takeoff, which resulted in two hard landings and subsequent loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Porte, Texas · La Porte Municipal 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 Series 5
- Registration
- N40120 · no longer on the register · serial S9909-0215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot had recently built the tailwheel-equipped experimental airplane and had accrued approximately 20 hours (all flight instruction) in the airplane. A commercial pilot accompanied the pilot on the flight. During takeoff from Runway 12 (4,165-foot long by 75-foot wide asphalt runway), the airplane became airborne briefly and then settled back on to the runway, followed by a couple of hard bounces. Following the second bounce, the left main landing gear wheel separated and the airplane ground-looped. The airplane then rolled to the right, exited the runway, and nosed over. The pilot reported a total of 70 flight hours, but had not flown since 1951. A review of FAA records revealed that the commercial rated pilot held a flight instructor rating; however, it had expired in 2004. Examination of the airplane revealed no pre-mishap discrepancies. The winds at the time of the mishap were reported from 100 degrees at 7 knots.
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: 70 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru 2.2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T41 La Porte TX
- Destination: T41 La Porte TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,165 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from EFD, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N40120 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.