Amateur-built Kitfox Series 7 accident near Caldwell, Idaho, June 5, 2004
On June 5, 2004 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox Series 7, registered N1852N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caldwell, Idaho (Caldwell Industrial 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 disconnection of the elevator pitch control assembly and the pitch rod during the takeoff as a result of an unsecured bolt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2004 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, Idaho · Caldwell Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox Series 7
- Registration
- N1852N · registry record · serial S60111-074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he accomplished his normal run-up and control checks prior to takeoff. The pilot stated that as the aircraft was accelerating during the takeoff ground roll, he suddenly could not feel the usual back-pressure on the elevator control. The pilot checked the manual trim and confirmed that it was in the takeoff position and as he was about to reduce power to abort the takeoff, the "...plane catapulted up in the air at a high angle of attack, without pitch control input from me." The pilot stated that he immediately put the manual pitch trim control in a nose-down range and the airplane responded "violently." The pilot continued to manipulate the elevator trim as the aircraft oscillated three to four times before gradually attaining a more level attitude. The aircraft landed hard and flat on the remaining runway, subsequently breaking the nose gear wheel, and damaging the propeller and main gear. Further damage included buckled floor boards and structural damage to the fuselage. Post-accident inspection of the airplane found that the connecting bolt between the pitch control assembly and the pitch rod (to the elevator) had come off. The bolt was located, however, the self-locking castle nut with a nylon insert which the pilot stated that he used to secure the bolt was not located.
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: 440 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 23, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 2004; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID at 4:30 pm
- Destination: EUL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from EUL
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA04LA103.