Amateur-built KITFOX IV N396BK accident near Castlerock, Minnesota

Probable cause

Propeller system failure during a go-around maneuver resulting in a forced landing. Contributing to the severity of damage to the airplane was the postimpact fire.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was flying his experimental airplane, practicing touch-and-go landings on his 1,400 foot long private grass airstrip. The weather was clear. During his third touch-and-go, he determined that he was going to land too long so he made a go-around. As he added power for the go-around, he started to feel vibrations and thought that he had a propeller malfunction. The vibrations continued regardless of power setting, so he shut down the engine and intentionally stalled the airplane about 10 feet above the ground to avoid rolling over when the airplane settled to the ground. The airplane came to rest in a corn field. The pilot saw that a fire had started in the engine compartment after ground impact, so he quickly exited the airplane. A post-crash fire then completely consumed the airplane. Examination of the airplane after the accident did not show any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or abnormalities, although the fire damage was too extensive to specifically determine the reason for presumed propeller malfunction. After the examination, the pilot maintained that he was certain that there was a problem with the propeller and that it was the cause of the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN12CA597 for the full record.