History of the Flight
The aircraft departed from grass Runway 09. Immediately after takeoff, while at a very low altitude, the right wing dropped and the aircraft turned 90 degrees to the right. During this turn, the right wing struck a wire fence, which removed the right wing tip. The pilot managed to recover to straight and level flight. To avoid power lines, he then selected a steep climbing attitude. This caused the aircraft to stall and descend wings level into a line of trees. The fixed landing gear struck the treetops, pitching the aircraft forward into a near-vertical nose-down attitude. The aircraft came to rest with the nose on the ground and the tail suspended in the tree canopy.
Pilot Actions and Injuries
The pilot, who was wearing a full harness, evacuated the cockpit after the accident. He then returned to switch off the master switch and ignition. He was able to walk unaided back to the airfield. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
Aircraft Damage
The aircraft, a Denney Kitfox manufactured in 2004, sustained substantial damage to the wings, propeller, and fuselage.
Pilot Information
The commander held a Private Pilot's Licence, was 67 years old, and had a total flying experience of 544 hours, with only 1 hour on the accident aircraft type. In the previous 90 days, he had flown 12 hours, and in the previous 28 days, 6 hours. He had recently purchased G-FOXX and this was his first flight in this aircraft.
Assessment
The pilot assessed the cause of the accident as a stall on takeoff due to his inexperience on the type. He commented that, in hindsight, he would have been more thorough with his pre-flight preparation.