Hall KITFOX accident near Billings, Montana, February 22, 1997
On February 22, 1997 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Hall KITFOX, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N87TJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain flying airspeed while executing a downwind turn at low altitude immediately following takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1997 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hall KITFOX, amateur-built
- Registration
- N87TJ · registry record · serial 158
- 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 had 'monitored the weather at Billings' (located 5 nm south of the crash site). Winds at Billings near the time of the accident were reported as out of the northeast at 13 knots. The pilot further reported that immediately after takeoff to the east he made a slight left turn and then an 'easy right turn at about 100 feet AGL.' The altitude of 100-150 feet was confirmed by a witness. During the crosswind/downwind turn the aircraft descended into the terrain.
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: 287 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 205 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 583ULDC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:24 pm from BIL, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N87TJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.