Amateur-built KITFOX III accident near Lake Stevens, Washington, September 27, 2014
On September 27, 2014 at about 10:35 pm local time, a 1994 amateur-built KITFOX III, registered N307KF, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Lake Stevens, Washington (Frontier Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the inability of the flight instructor to take control of the airplane due to the lack of fully operational dual controls in the right-seat pilot position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2014 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Stevens, Washington · Frontier Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX III, built 1994
- Registration
- N307KF · no longer on the register · serial 1040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner had recently purchased the tailwheel-equipped airplane. He had no experience in tailwheel-equipped airplanes and asked a flight instructor to check him out. The instructor stated that, although he was an experienced tailwheel pilot, he had no experience in the accident airplane make and model, so he flew the airplane solo for about 5 hours in order to become familiar with it. The instructor reported that while flying the airplane solo, he noticed that it would become airborne prematurely if he did not hold the control stick full forward on the takeoff run to keep the airplane on the runway while trying to gain airspeed. The instructor added that he told the pilot/owner about this and cautioned him to hold the control stick full forward on takeoff to prevent the airplane from becoming airborne inadvertently. During the accident flight, the pilot/owner was in the left seat, and the instructor was in the right seat; the right-seat pilot position was equipped with rudder pedals but not with a control stick. The instructor stated that, during the takeoff run, the airplane became airborne prematurely because the pilot/owner failed to hold the control stick full forward as previously instructed. The instructor reported that he told the pilot/owner to lower the nose after the airplane became airborne and also tried to reach over to move the control stick forward to get the nose down but was not successful because the pilot/owner had frozen on the controls. The airplane subsequently stalled due to the loss of sufficient airspeed and impacted the ground about 225 feet east of the runway in a steep, nose-down attitude. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have preclude 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Control column section › Not installed/available
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,488 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command; 155 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2013
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 0.1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 138 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2014; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 MOD 90 (piston); 133 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WN53 Lake Stevens WA at 10:35 pm
- Destination: WN53 Lake Stevens WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,800 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from AWO, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.