Amateur-built KITFOX II accident near Panama City, Florida, February 24, 1996
On February 24, 1996 at about 8:25 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX II, registered N915PK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City, Florida (Panama City - Bay County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and subsequent collision with a ditch. Factors relating to the accident were: failure of the airspeed indicator, the pilot's selection of the wrong runway for landing, and the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1996 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Panama City - Bay County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX II
- Registration
- N915PK · no longer on the register · serial 709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the flight instructor (CFI) recognized that the airspeed indicator was inoperative. He elected to return to the airport and land on runway 32. During the landing, the airplane bounced, then drifted off the right side of the runway. The CFI then applied power to go-around, but the airplane collided with a ditch. The wind was reported to be from 220 degrees at 8 knots. Runway 23 was available for landing with nearly a direct headwind.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,330 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 6,753 as pilot in command; 4,664 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 990 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582LC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 6,314 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:26 pm from PFN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N915PK 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.