Smith Kitfox Classic IV accident near Limerick, Maine, June 20, 2002
On June 20, 2002 at about 11:54 pm local time, a Smith Kitfox Classic IV, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N3023J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Limerick, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to perform a modification required by the manufacturer, which resulted in a failure of the float covering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2002 · about 11:54 pm local time
- Place
- Limerick, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith Kitfox Classic IV, amateur-built
- Registration
- N3023J · registry record · serial C-95020103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After performing a "routine" inspection, the floatplane was taxied from the shoreline, to the center of the lake, where it departed. The pilot observed that something was wrong with the floats as soon as the floatplane lifted off the water. He felt a slight drag, as well as noise emitting from the floats. About 500 feet above the lake, the pilot elected to return for a landing. As the floatplane was about to touchdown, the noise from the floats increased. Observing that a landing could not be accomplished, and a collision with homes was approaching, the pilot aborted the landing. While setting up for a second approach to the lake, both float coverings separated from the forward section of the float shells. The floatplane then entered into a dive, and the pilot reduced power. The floatplane impacted the water nose first, and came to rest with the tail section protruding upward. The pilot egressed from the main cabin, and swam to the shore. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the floats were fabric covered, and had a hard plastic cover that zipped onto the bottom of each float. Both of the zippers were found partially unzipped. The manufacturer of the floats issued a Product Bulletin on November 20, 1998, which addressed a defect with the zippers installed on the floats. If any defects were observed with the zippers, the entire zipper would have to be replaced as a set. The manufacture also provided, free of charge, a kit that would provide a secondary means of keeping the hull cap attached to the float in the event of a zipper failure. The bulletin further stated, "This is a mandatory, permanent, modification that must be carried out before further flight." No maintenance logbooks for the airplane were recovered; however, the pilot stated that the previous owner of the floatplane had not complied with the manufacture's Product Bulletin, nor did he.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 137 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2002; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 618 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Limerick ME at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from PWM, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N3023J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 NYC02LA120.