Amateur-built KITFOX 2 accident near Battle Ground, Washington, October 1, 1995
On October 1, 1995 at about 9:50 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX 2, registered N488WR, was destroyed in an accident near Battle Ground, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in a stall/mush and subsequent collision with trees and the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1995 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Battle Ground, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX 2
- Registration
- N488WR · no longer on the register · serial 488
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed that the aircraft began a 'steep climb' after a normal lift-off, then it began to drift to the right of the runway. According to one witness, the aircraft leveled off approximately 50 to 100 feet above adjacent tall trees, while going 'very slowly,' and then it began turning right and descending. The passenger stated that the aircraft's nose dropped after takeoff and again during the level-off. Subsequently, the airplane struck treetops and crashed. After impacting terrain, the aircraft burst into flames. The airport owner told a sheriff's deputy that the pilot usually flew alone; the passenger's weight of 195 pounds represented about 20 percent of the aircraft's 950-pound maximum gross weight. The kit manufacturer estimated that adding a 200-pound passenger would add 3 to 5 MPH to the aircraft's stall speed.
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: 228 hours in all; 12 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 202 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582LC (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: WA05 at 9:49 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from PDX, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.