History of Flight
On June 20, 2021, about 0900 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Kitfox Series 6 airplane, registration N617Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Likely, California. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Witnesses near the accident site reported speaking with the pilot and passenger about 10 minutes before the accident. They observed the pilot and passenger board the airplane. The pilot attempted to take off from the field on a westerly heading, but the airplane could not attain sufficient speed to become airborne. Witnesses heard the engine throttle down and saw the airplane turn 180° to initiate a second takeoff attempt in an easterly direction. The airplane became airborne about 20 yards from a canal road, climbing to an estimated 10 to 20 ft above ground level. As the airplane approached the canal, it began to descend and impacted the upper eastern edge of the canal, spun around, and slid down into the water. The pilot had no recollection of the accident sequence.
Meteorological Information
The calculated density altitude at the time of the accident was 6,635 ft, with a pressure altitude of 4,297 ft.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck the eastern edge of an irrigation levee. Debris remained within about 5 ft of the main wreckage. The fuselage came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of about 243°, with the engine and left wing partially submerged in water. A ground impression consistent with a tire was observed about 4 ft north of the main wreckage.
Examination of the departure field revealed flattened grass, consistent with tire tracks, extending from the western edge of the field toward the canal. The field length from west to east was about 1,151 ft. The terrain was rough, with vegetation 2 to 3 ft in height. Along the eastern edge was an elevated levee about 10 to 20 ft above the field.
The right wing was partially separated from the airframe; its forward attachment structure was impact damaged and pulled away. The left wing remained attached. The empennage was intact and undamaged; left and right horizontal stabilizers, elevators, and rudder remained attached and relatively undamaged. Both control sticks were separated. Throttle and mixture control continuity was established from cockpit to engine. Flight control continuity was established from primary controls through the airframe to the control stick attachment points.
The engine remained partially attached to the airframe. Hand rotation of the crankshaft via the propeller produced thumb compression on all four cylinders, and rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft; one blade was fractured at midspan with splintering opposite the direction of rotation; the opposing blade was fractured about 12 inches from the hub, and the separated portion exhibited slight chordwise striations on the cambered side. No evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction was observed that would have precluded normal operation.