Amateur-built Kitfox Series 5 accident near Cresent City, Florida, April 10, 2005
On April 10, 2005 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox Series 5, registered N704LS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cresent City, Florida (Jim Finlay Farm 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
Aircraft handling not maintained during the landing rollout. Factors include soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2005 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cresent City, Florida · Jim Finlay Farm · 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 5
- Registration
- N704LS · no longer on the register · serial 59901-0184
- 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 the airplane developed a rough running engine and he elected to make a precautionary landing. He stated the touchdown and initial rollout was normal, however the airplane encountered a soft/muddy area on the runway and nosed over. In a written statement submitted to the NTSB, the pilot reported that the "airplane made [a] precautionary landing and after rollout -during taxi to get off runway- airplane encountered a soft muddy area and flipped over." The pilot's statement made no reference as to the cause of the rough running engine.
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: 216 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 216 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 284 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 17J Donalsonville GA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 28FL Cresent City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from KPSG, 26 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.
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.