Amateur-built Kitfox IV accident near Moultonboro, New Hampshire, September 16, 2007
On September 16, 2007 at about 5:52 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox IV, registered N20577, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moultonboro, New Hampshire. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both spark plugs in the number 3 cylinder which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2007 · about 5:52 pm local time
- Place
- Moultonboro, New Hampshire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox IV
- Registration
- N20577 · registry record · serial 4152394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a thorough before-takeoff check of systems and instruments, the airplane performed as expected during the takeoff roll and initial climb. About 100 feet above ground level, the engine began "sputtering" and "losing power." The airplane lacked the altitude to return to the runway, so the pilot chose to land straight ahead in a swamp. Post accident examination of the engine revealed that both spark plugs in the number 3 cylinder did not spark. After exchanging the spark plugs, the engine started immediately and ran continuously without interruption.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5M3 Moultonboro NH
- Destination: Moultonboro NH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 NYC07CA230.