Amateur-built Kitfox accident near Goodyear, Arizona, January 25, 2020
On January 25, 2020 at about 3:50 pm local time, a 2019 amateur-built Kitfox, registered N399A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Goodyear, Arizona (Phoenix Goodyear 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 tail wheel mechanism detachment for reasons that could not be determined due to the lack of available evidence which resulted in the loss of directional control on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2020 · about 3:50 pm local time · cases in 2020
- Place
- Goodyear, Arizona · Phoenix Goodyear · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kitfox S7 Super S, built 2019
- Registration
- N399A · registry record · serial KA12273245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, he was on a familiarization/test flight with the pilot/owner. They had conducted 7 successful landings and while on final approach for the 8th landing, he entered a forward slip to steepen the descent angle without increasing airspeed, and pitched for landing. As the airplane touched down, there was no drift or yaw; however, during the landing rollout the rudder pedals "jerked," and the nose began to veer rapidly to the left. He applied right rudder pedal, but the airplane continued to yaw to the left and subsequently ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder The pilot reported that the tailwheel chains and steering springs were intact, but the chains were not attached to the springs, and one of the tailwheel steering chains may have disconnected while maneuvering to land. The nut retaining the tailwheel spring was not located and the spring hole appeared to be undamaged.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear attach section › Failure other cases naming the landing gear
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: February 22, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 302 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 302 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 25, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 6 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYR Goodyear AZ at 3:00 pm
- Destination: GYR Goodyear AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from KGYR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1: View of wrinkled Rudder (GYR Airport Ops) Photo 2: Tailwheel chains and hardware (GYR Airport Ops)
Photo 3: Underneath view of tail section (GYR Airport Ops)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. 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 - Flying Pilot | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Pilot/owner | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N399A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS 62 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Phoenix Goodyear Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,983 since 1982 · 466 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,422 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR20CA080.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.