CHI05CA187

Factual narrative

On July 16, 2005, at 1005 central daylight time, an amateur-built McDaniels Kitfox Classic IV, N6261M, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while attempting to land at the Bagley Municipal Airport (7Y4), Bagley, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his flight instructor were not injured. The local area flight departed around 0920 and was operating in the airport traffic pattern when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to obtain a flight review, as required by regulation Title 14 CFR Part 61.56, and to receive dual instruction in his recently purchased airplane. The pilot stated that his previous flight review had expired and that his flight instructor was the pilot-in-command during the accident flight. The pilot reported that after completing some maneuvers in the practice area they returned to the departure airport to practice landings. He stated that that he made two practice approaches to runway 14 (3,800 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) without landing. He reported that his flight instructor performed a touch-and-go on the third approach. The pilot reported that the accident occurred during the fourth approach, or second landing. He stated that the airplane touched down near the taxiway intersection, or about halfway down the runway. He reported that after touchdown the airplane "started to weathervane to the left." The pilot stated that he used engine power and right rudder in an attempt to realign the airplane with the runway, but the airplane "veered quickly to the right and became airborne." He reported that when he initiated a "shallow turn" to avoid some trees off the right side of the runway the airplane "stalled and impacted the ground." The flight instructor reported that the airplane touched down "just before the halfway point" of the runway, and after touchdown the airplane "went to the left, off the runway." He stated that engine power was used to "help correct" and the airplane traveled back onto the runway surface, becoming airborne. He reported that the airplane "made it over the ditch [alongside] the runway, but right after the right wing stalled hitting ground and plane crashing." The pilot stated that he did not have any pilot experience in the accident airplane make/model prior to the accident flight. The flight instructor reported having 2.5 hours of pilot experience in accident airplane make/model prior to the accident flight. Wind information was collected from two weather observing stations located within 18 nautical miles (nm) of the accident site. The wind data indicated that the prevailing surface winds were from the east-southeast at 9-12 knots, with no gusts reported. The pilot reported that during the previous landing there was "some crosswind from the left" but it was "controllable." The tailwheel airplane veered off the runway during landing, became airborne again and subsequently stalled and impacted the terrain. The purpose of the flight was for the pilot/owner to receive a flight review and dual instruction in his recently purchased airplane. The pilot stated that after touchdown on runway 14 the airplane "started to weathervane to the left." He reported that he used engine power and right rudder in an attempt to realign the airplane with the runway, but the airplane "veered quickly to the right and became airborne." He stated that when he initiated a "shallow turn" to avoid some trees off the right side of the runway the airplane "stalled and impacted the ground." The prevailing surface wind was from the east-southeast around 10 knots, with no gusts reported. The pilot reported that during the previous landing there was "some crosswind from the left" but it was "controllable." Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12