SEA03LA168

Factual narrative

On August 12, 2003, approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, an experimental Nolen Kitfox Lite Squared, N222JN, impacted the terrain near the southeast end of runway 13 at Homedale Municipal Airport, Homedale, Idaho. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no ELT activation. According to the pilot/builder, the aircraft had received its temporary experimental airworthiness certificate on the morning of the accident, and this was to be its first flight. When the temporary certificate was issued, the FAA inspector who issued it told the pilot not to take off on runway 31 until the required 40 hours had been flown off, since to do so might take the aircraft over the town of Homedale, a congested area. At the time the pilot made the decision to take off on runway 13, there was a left quartering tailwind of about 10 knots, gusting to around 15 knots. Although the pilot was aware he was taking off with a tailwind, he did not want to wait until the wind died down, and since he could not take off to the north because of the FAA restriction, he elected to attempt the southerly departure (runway 13). He said that just after liftoff near the end of the runway, a gust of wind elevated the left wing "...to the point where the tip of the right wing scrapped the runway surface." According to the pilot, during his attempt to recover control of the aircraft, it sank/mushed into the runway surface with sufficient force to result in substantial damage. According to both the pilot and the FAA inspector who responded to the scene, there was no evidence of any anomalies in the aircraft flight control system or its engine. During the investigation, it was determined that the pilot had never before flown this make and model aircraft. The subject aircraft had received its temporary experimental airworthiness certificate on the morning of the accident, and this was to be its first flight. When the temporary certificate was issued, the FAA inspector who issued it told the pilot not to take off on runway 31 until the required 40 hours had been flown off, since to do so might take the aircraft over the town of Homedale, a congested area. At the time the pilot made the decision to take off on runway 13, there was a left quartering tailwind of about 10 knots, gusting to around 15 knots. Although the pilot was aware he was taking off with a tailwind, he did not want to wait until the wind died down, and since he could not take off to the north because of the FAA restriction, he elected to attempt the southerly departure (runway 13). Just after liftoff near the end of the runway, a gust of wind elevated the left wing "...to the point where the tip of the right wing scrapped the runway surface." During the pilot's attempt to recover control of the aircraft, it sank/mushed into the runway surface with sufficient force to result in substantial damage. There was no evidence of any anomalies in the aircraft flight control system or its engine. During the investigation, it was determined that the pilot had never before flown this make and model aircraft. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12