Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Boulder Muncipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Boulder, Colorado 80301
Monday, November 24, 2008 12:45 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that when he was taking off on his first solo flight in the recently purchased airplane, the electrically operated propeller started to increase pitch. The pilot stated that he tried to decrease the pitch, but each time he released the control-stick-mounted propeller button, the propeller pitch would increase. After the prop went to a high pitch angle and the engine started to run "rough," the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing and turn back to the runway. A Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), who flew with the accident pilot on two previous flights, reported that the propeller controls for pitch are two buttons on the top end of the control stick (one to increase and the other to decrease pitch). He added that it was easy to inadvertently touch and to confuse which button increased and which button decreased propeller pitch. The CFI also noted that it was easy to confuse the propeller pitch buttons with similar elevator trim buttons located on the control stick. The CFI added that on several occasions he and the accident pilot mistakenly actuated the propeller control the wrong way. During the second flight with the accident pilot, the CFI said that they planned to practice takeoffs and landings. During the session, the CFI accidentally coarsened the prop pitch to its maximum setting; the power loss was "large", and the CFI closed the throttle and landed. Furthermore, the CFI reported that he had to intervene in "all, except one of the landings and most of the take-offs, performed by the accident pilot." The CFI reported that he told the accident pilot that he thought that he needed much more than two hours of dual instruction required by the insurance company.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine thrust due to the pilot's inadvertent activation of the propeller controls. Contributing to the accident were the non-standard propeller controls and the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/24/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1245 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Boulder |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80301 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400213N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1051319W |
| Event Location Airport | Boulder Muncipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KBDU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1246 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KBJC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| 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) | 60 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.23 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 1 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25112 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2009 1:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4JU |
| NTSB Number | CEN09LA075 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | HAUSER U/HAUSER J |
| Aircraft Model | KIT FOX CL |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | C9407-0041 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Nov 3 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 114 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jason Patton |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 14009 W Splithand Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Grand Rapids |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 55744 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Jason Patton |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 14009 W Splithand Rd |
| Operator City | Grand Rapids |
| Operator State | MN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 55744 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | KBDU |
| Departure City | Bolder |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Grand Rapids |
| Destination State | MN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2009 1:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |