Amateur-built KITFOX II accident near Sheridan, Wyoming, March 15, 1993
On March 15, 1993 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX II, registered N569F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sheridan, Wyoming (Sheridan County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A PARTIAL POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS INCLUDE A STRONG CROSSWIND ON LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1993 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sheridan, Wyoming · Sheridan County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX II
- Registration
- N569F · no longer on the register · serial 569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THEY COULD NOT SAFELY RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOTS MADE A DECISION TO ATTEMPT A FORCED LANDING ON A NEARBY DIRT ROAD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL IN A STRONG CROSSWIND, THE AIRCRAFT'S RUDDER BECAME INEFFECTIVE AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM WEATHER VANING INTO THE WIND AND DEPARTING THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AS THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE ROAD IT IMPACTED A NEARBY FENCE.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,901 hours in all; 548 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,623 as pilot in command; 469 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 81 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582DI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHR at 5:20 pm
- Destination: SHR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,037 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.