Amateur-built KITFOX accident near Lakeland, Florida, April 16, 1988
On April 16, 1988 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX (ultralight), registered N84DD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Municipal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1988 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX
- Registration
- N84DD · no longer on the register · serial 006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING IN THE HOMEBUILT ACFT AREA AT THE 'SUN AND FUN FLY IN' WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO LAND IN A FIELD, WHICH HE COULDN'T MAKE, AND CAME TO REST IN SOME SCRUB TREES. THE PLT ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL MIXTURE SINCE HE HAD BEEN IN FLORIDA AND THAT WAS THE REASON THE ENGINE QUIT.
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: 1,047 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kfm 112M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from LAL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.