Amateur-built KITFOX IV accident near Sonoma, California, September 24, 2014
On September 24, 2014 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 2005 amateur-built KITFOX IV, registered N99FL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Sonoma, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel management which resulted in an engine failure due to fuel starvation and subsequent collision with power lines during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2014 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sonoma, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX IV IV, built 2005
- Registration
- N99FL · registry record · serial 1570
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that about 10 minutes after departing, with the airplane configured for cruise flight at about 2,000 feet above ground level (agl), the engine experienced a loss of power. The airplane began to descend and the pilot spotted a road to perform an emergency landing. Around 750 feet agl the pilot then turned on the fuel wing tank valves, but the engine failed to restart. The road became obscured by trees due to an s-bend and as he descended closer, he observed a vehicle ahead. As he turned away from the road, the airplane struck power lines that were along the road. The airframe structure was substantially damaged. The pilot later stated that he believed that the engine experienced a loss of power due to the fuel valves being off on the wing tanks. The system was designed as such that each wing tank had a shut off valve prior to the fuel reaching a five gallon header tank. He thought it was likely that the airplane was able to depart and be in cruise for the 10 minute duration by exhausting all of the fuel that was in the header tank. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,302 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 14,077 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 23, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 601 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 13, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 601 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0Q9 Sonoma CA at 8:55 pm
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: ovct at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on December 5, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.