Amateur-built KITFOX 4-1200 accident near Fountain Hills, Arizona, June 27, 1998
On June 27, 1998 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX 4-1200, registered N75MZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fountain Hills, Arizona (Goldfield Ranch). It was a personal 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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll in a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1998 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fountain Hills, Arizona · Goldfield Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX 4-1200 KITFOX 4-1
- Registration
- N75MZ · no longer on the register · serial 1913
- 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 the windsock on the south end of the airport showed that the wind was coming from a direction of 200 degrees at a velocity of 8-10 mph. After touchdown, a right crosswind caused the aircraft to veer to the right. The pilot reported that he applied full left rudder, right aileron and up elevator, and added power. The aircraft continued to swerve to the right and was weather vaning. The right main tire left the ground and the tail wheel was skipping. As the aircraft departed the right side of the landing area, the right wing contacted a tree and the landing gear and left wing tip impacted a berm along the edge of the landing area. The aircraft flipped over inverted and continued to slide about 20 feet down to the bottom of the ravine on the edge of the runway. The pilot further reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident.
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: 680 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 637 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1998; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582-DCD1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 9:00 pm
- Destination: GFR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KSD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.