Amateur-built KITFOX II accident near Logan, West Virginia, July 21, 2013
On July 21, 2013 at about 4:48 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX II, registered N269KF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Logan, West Virginia (Logan County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nose over. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2013 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- Logan, West Virginia · Logan County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX II
- Registration
- N269KF · registry record · serial 269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot completed one touch-and- go landing and proceeded around the pattern for a second landing. On the approach, the airplane was left of centerline and the CFI asked the student pilot to correct back to runway center line. The second landing was on centerline until touchdown. Upon touchdown the airplane veered to the right and the CFI directed the student pilot to not "fight" the airplane, and attempt to regain control. The CFI stated that the airplane was equipped with flight controls on the right side, but no rudder or brake pedals. The student pilot applied full power to the engine while heading to the right side of the runway. He attempted to takeoff before departing the right side of the runway; however; the airspeed was too slow to maintain flight. The airplane departed the runway on the right, collapsed the nose gear, and came to rest inverted in the grass. The student pilot stated that he should have used more rudder when lining up on the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed bending of the left wing struts, flaperons, vertical stabilizer, and buckling of the fuselage behind the main cabin area. The CFI did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The CFI reported the wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, to be light and variable with no gusts.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 32 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 8, 2012
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: powered-lift
- Flight time: 2,677 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,485 as pilot in command; 1,706 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 27, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 284 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 9, 2012; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6L4 Logan WV at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 6L4 Logan WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,605 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from K22, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13CA333.