Amateur-built KITFOX 7 accident near Tracy, California, December 12, 2015
On December 12, 2015 at about 10:50 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built KITFOX 7, registered N35KF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Tracy, California (New Jerusalem airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 pitch control during the landing, which resulted in a hard landing, runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 2015 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tracy, California · New Jerusalem · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX 7 NO SERIES, built 2007
- Registration
- N35KF · no longer on the register · serial 570311046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while conducting a touch-and-go landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, he "flared too high, touching down fairly hard." He reported that he attempted to abort the landing, the airplane departed the runway to the left, and the nose of the airplane impacted the ground coming to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 739 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 606 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 20, 2014
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 411 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 28, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 411 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LVK Livermore CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: 1Q4 Tracy CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,530 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KSCK, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.