Amateur-built KITFOX N300KF accident near Parma, Idaho

Preliminary information

On August 8, 2025, about 1120 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Kitfox airplane, N300KF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Parma, Idaho. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that after an uneventful 2 hour flight, he was on the base leg of the traffic pattern with the engine operating at 3,000 rpm when it abruptly lost all power. He then advanced the throttle, but the engine did not respond. The pilot noted that the engine did not sputter or exhibit any unusual sounds before the engine lost power. With insufficient altitude to reach the runway, he selected a nearby pasture and performed a forced landing. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot additionally stated that he did not have sufficient time to restart the engine before the airplane touched down.

The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for WPR25LA245 for the full record.