Pumpkin Patch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Little Rock, Arkansas 72206
Wednesday, November 13, 2002 16:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While the pilot taxied the airplane at the private grass airstrip, the homebuilt airplane inadvertently became airborne. After becoming airborne, "apparently due to a gust of wind," the airplane "appeared to be flying just above the stall speed" approximately 100-200 feet agl. Beyond the east end of the departure runway, the airplane circled left and then back toward the runway. As the airplane flew over the tree line adjacent to the runway, the "wing stalled and the airplane spun " to the ground. The 3,500 hour pilot had zero flight time in the make and model of the accident airplane. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No pre-impact discrepancies were found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an intentional taxi resulting in the inadvertent lift-off of the airplane and subsequent inadvertent stall. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of total experience in the make and model of aircraft, and the wind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/13/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Little Rock
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72206
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344346N
Event Location Longitude 0921328W
Event Location Airport Pumpkin Patch
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 248
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID LIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 262
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13481
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Nov 13 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2003 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Little Rock, Arkansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5278U
NTSB Number FTW03LA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Larson
Aircraft Model Kitfox III
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 796
Certified Max Gross Weight 973
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Feb 4 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 103
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Thomas P. Beary
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2124 Dorchester Drive
Aircraft Owner City Little Rock
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72204
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Little Rock
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2003 5:43PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --