Amateur-built KITFOX III accident near Laurel, Montana, July 15, 2009
On July 15, 2009 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX III, registered N4276M, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Laurel, Montana (Laurel Municipal 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 failure to maintain directional control during an attempted go-around from a landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2009 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Montana · Laurel Municipal · 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
- N4276M · no longer on the register · serial 1165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing a series of touch-and-go landings, the pilot inadvertently allowed the tail wheel-equipped airplane to touch down with one wing lower than the other. Almost immediately after the airplane touched the surface, it suddenly veered toward the edge of the runway. The pilot added power in an attempt to execute a go-around, but before he could get the airplane airborne, it departed the runway surface and impacted the adjacent 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around)
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6S8 Laurel MT
- Destination: 6S8 Laurel MT
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 22, 5,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.