Amateur-built KITFOX SERIES 5 accident near Greene, New York, September 1, 2014
On September 1, 2014 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2002 amateur-built KITFOX SERIES 5, registered N94SL, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Greene, New York (Greene Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain adequate airspeed during the initial climb, which resulted in an exceedance of the wing’s critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the airplane make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2014 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greene, New York · Greene Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX SERIES 5, built 2002
- Registration
- N94SL · no longer on the register · serial S 94 11 0062
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot, who had no previous experience in the airplane make and model, had purchased it about 1 year earlier and then stored it in his garage until the day of the accident. On the day of the accident, the pilot added 4 gallons of gas; he subsequently started the engine, taxied the airplane, and conducted engine run-ups for about 30 minutes to familiarize himself with the airplane. He powered up the engine three or four times, and during the last power up, the airplane lifted off. The pilot reported that he then attempted a three-point landing; this is all that he remembered about the accident sequence. A witness reported that, after takeoff, the airplane "jerked" right and that the power settings changed. The airplane then "straightened out and smoothed out" and then continued to climb slowly to about 200 ft above the ground, at which point it banked "hard" left and then descended to impact. Another witness reported that the airplane "tipped" and "stalled" before its descent. A postcrash fire ensued, which consumed most of the airplane. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation, and the pilot reported no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures. Wind recorded at an airport about 10 miles from the departure airport about the time of the accident was from the direction of takeoff at 4 knots, and a witness noted that both windsocks were "dead" at the accident airport.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 0.1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 239 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 7, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,180 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru NSI-E81 (piston); 240 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 4N7 Greene NY at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 4N7 Greene NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,665 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,800 ft; a few clouds at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from BGM, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 5, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.