Event CEN12LA577

Factual narrative

On August 19, 2012, about 1245 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Jones Kitfox III, N942EJ, impacted terrain following a loss of engine power after takeoff from Cottonwood Airport, Rockford, Illinois. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field after the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The private pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wing, and stabilizer. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the local flight that was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that the airplane experienced a loss of engine power after takeoff while at 300 feet above ground level. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a bean field. The pilot stated that a spark plug had loosened after he replaced it about 2 hours of time in service before the accident flight. The pilot's safety recommendation was to tighten and then recheck spark plugs when they are installed. The airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power shortly after takeoff, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a spark plug that the pilot installed about 2 flight hours before the accident had loosened and separated from its cylinder during the accident takeoff. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if the spark plugs were tightened and rechecked when they were installed. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Maintenance-Installation-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Ignition system-Spark plugs/igniters-Not specified - C