NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 23, 2009, about 0745 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Polit Kitfox Ser 5 Outback, N781VP, crashed shortly after takeoff from Apple Valley Airport (APV), Apple Valley, California. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal local area flight. The pilot was killed, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan had been filed.

Several firefighters assigned to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Apple Valley station, about 1/4 mile southeast of the accident site, witnessed the accident. They noticed it because it was flying about 200 to 300 feet above the ground. It was traveling in a northwest direction, which was not the normal pattern for landing airplanes. The witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to stall and then bank to the left, followed by the airplane's nose dropping before it impacted the ground. The firefighters reported that the airplane was starting to spin prior to ground impact. They were not able to determine whether the airplane's engine was running because of the sound from a nearby operating fire truck.

The mechanic, who performed the last annual inspection, reported that on several occasions he had spoken with the accident pilot about flying with him; the mechanic was also a pilot. The accident pilot had told him he was uneasy flying the accident airplane alone because he had not flown it recently. The mechanic stated to the deputy coroner from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department that the airplane appeared to have experienced a stall-spin event.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported that the entire airplane came to rest at the accident site. Due to the damage to the airplane, the FAA inspector was not able to determine if the airplane had experienced any mechanical problems.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to FAA airman records, the 59-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. The pilot also held a third-class medical issued on January 25, 2008; with the limitation that he must have available glasses for near vision.

No personal flight records were made available to the NTSB for the pilot. The pilot reported on his last medical application, dated January 25, 2008, a total time of 550 hours. Additionally, aircraft logbooks were also not made available to the NTSB for the airplane.

A deputy coroner spoke with the accident pilot's spouse. She informed the deputy/coroner that her husband had not flown the airplane since the last annual inspection performed in April 2009. She also reported that he had no medical problems other than hypertension, which was controlled by medication. The spouse also reported that her husband had about 300 hours of flight time in the accident airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane, N781VP, was a 2000 amateur-built (experimental) Polit Kitfox Series 5 Outback. An NSI modified Subaru EA-81 engine, serial number 948131 (block); A12-229 (transmission) had been installed on the airplane. The tachometer hours recorded at the accident site was 251.6 hours.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's loss of aircraft control for undetermined reasons while maneuvering at low altitude.