Amateur-built KITFOX IV accident near Apple Valley, California, September 12, 1994
On September 12, 1994 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX IV, registered N93CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apple Valley, California. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel prior to departure, and his inaccurate en route fuel consumption calculations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1994 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX IV
- Registration
- N93CM · registry record · serial 1811
- 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 HE SHOULD HAVE REFUELED PRIOR TO TAKING OFF FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. EN ROUTE, HE OBSERVED THE FUEL TANK SIGHT GAGES AND BELIEVED THEY INDICATED OVER 2 HOURS OF FUEL REMAINED. AFTER FLYING FOR 2.2 HOURS, FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD AND, DURING THE ROLL-OUT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH BRUSH AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE HAD BUILT THE AIRPLANE, AND THE FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE WAS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED. HE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN 'OVERLY ENTHUSED' WITH THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE'S PERFORMANCE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command; 1,030 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 57 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 1994; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IFP Bullhead City AZ at 2:45 pm
- Destination: APV CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX94LA380.