Amateur-built Kitfox III accident near Oakdale, California, March 25, 2009
On March 25, 2009 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Kitfox III, registered N392JJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Oakdale, California (Oakdale 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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2009 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oakdale, California · Oakdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox III
- Registration
- N392JJ · registry record · serial 1146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot noted prior to departure that the winds were about the same as when he landed about 30 minutes earlier. He was departing on runway 28, and the winds were from 320 degrees at 10 knots with light gusts. About 5 feet above ground level after liftoff, the airplane suddenly veered to the left and down into a bowl-shaped depression adjacent to the runway. He recovered to unstable, but level, slow flight just inside the basin with the runway about 12 feet above and to the right of his position. He was approaching the end of the depression and lowered the flaps 10 degrees as he pulled up on the control stick. The airplane cleared the slope, but then the wind pushed it to the left again. The right main landing gear contacted the ground followed by firm contact with the left main landing gear and tailwheel. The tail bounced on the ground and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to both wings, right flaperon, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 779 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 675 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 14, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582/LC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KO27 Oakdale CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: KL36 Rio Linda CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,020 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KMOD, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.