Amateur-built KITFOX 1 accident near Bend, Oregon, August 30, 1997
On August 30, 1997 at about 3:04 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX 1, registered N594KF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bend, Oregon (Bend Municipal airport). It was a personal 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
The private pilot-in-command's failure to ensure that directional control was maintained. A related factor was the private pilot's lack of total flight experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1997 · about 3:04 pm local time
- Place
- Bend, Oregon · Bend Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX 1
- Registration
- N594KF · registry record · serial 126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was occupied by a recently certificated private pilot (who owned the aircraft) in the left seat and a commercial pilot in the right seat. The private pilot/owner originally identified himself as the pilot flying at the time of the accident, stating takeoff was normal until the aircraft reached an altitude of 50 feet above ground level (AGL), where the airplane began an uncommanded right roll and subsequently cartwheeled. He subsequently changed his account, stating he asked the right-seat occupant if she wanted to do the takeoff and that she replied she did. He stated that during the takeoff, he applied throttle and she kept the airplane straight, and that at an altitude of 50 to 60 feet AGL, the airplane yawed to the right. He stated he assumed that as an experienced pilot, she would correct the yaw, but this did not occur. The airplane reached a nose angle of 90 degrees to the runway and subsequently crashed. The right-seat occupant denied flying the aircraft at the time of the accident, stating that she could not reach the rudder pedals. The aircraft's flight controls were found to be intact and functional in a post-accident examination.
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: 105 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 21 in the last 30 days; 59 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 255 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S07 at 3:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,005 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.