Smith KITFOX II accident near Malabar, Florida, August 12, 1989
On August 12, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Smith KITFOX II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N302RS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Malabar, Florida (Valkaria airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Malabar, Florida · Valkaria · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith KITFOX II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N302RS · no longer on the register · serial 302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF ON THE ACFT'S 1ST FLT, IT ENTERED A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, STALLED & CRASHED ABOUT 100 YDS FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE PLT WAS RPRTD TO HAVE SAID THAT 'THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT DOWNWARD ELEVATOR TRAVEL AND THE ANGLE OF INCIDENCE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS PAST THE NEGATIVE LIMITS.' THE ACFT DESIGNER RPRTD THAT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS PROPERLY POSITIONED. THE WING TWIST WAS FOUND TO BE 1.88 DEG PER 13.5 FT VERSUS THE SPECIFIED WING TWIST OF 3.65 DEG. THE DOWNWARD DEFLECTION OF THE ELEVATOR WAS MEASURED TO BE 28.2 DEGREES VERSUS THE DESIGNED 25 DEGREES. THE C.G. WAS RPRTD TO BE WITHIN LIMITS.
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: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532LC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:54 pm from VRB, 20 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N302RS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.