Amateur-built KITFOX V VIXEN accident near Caldwell, Idaho, August 26, 2022
On August 26, 2022 at about 10:20 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built KITFOX V VIXEN, registered N52367, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Caldwell, Idaho (Caldwell Executive Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to a loose wire leading to the engine’s electronic control unit (ECU). Contributing was the pilot’s exceedance of the critical angle of attack while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for recovery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2022 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, Idaho · Caldwell Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX V VIXEN, built 2014
- Registration
- N52367 · registry record · serial V9404-0008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot planned to take off and remain in the traffic pattern as part of a post-maintenance test flight of the airplane. After climbing to about 200 ft above the runway, the engine started to gradually lose power to about 15-20% engine power. The pilot had begun maneuvering the airplane for a forced landing when it entered an aerodynamic stall. The pilot attempted to recover from the stall; however, the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing, wing struts, and empennage. Postaccident examination determined that the power supply wire for the experimental engine’s electronic control unit (ECU) was loose in the crimped terminal. It is likely that during the flight, the intermittent power source to the ECU activated the engine’s “limp mode,” which resulted in a reduction of engine power to a level that was insufficient to maintain altitude. The engine’s limp mode is a safety feature designed to protect the engine and powertrain in automotive applications.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › DC power distribution system › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Design
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,237 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 3,170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 323.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 5, 2022
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EA-81 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 25, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation (Subaru Mechanic) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Airframe and Engine Examination Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Airframe and Engine Exam Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.