NTSB CAROL · Event
Event WPR23LA144
Registry · N89CK
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
KITFOX KITFOX
Year of manufacture
1990 · 33 years old at event
Engine
BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19910403
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AC4337
Registrant of record
BALER CALEB
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the airplane swerved slightly to the left during landing roll on an instructional flight with a pilot receiving instruction at the controls. After the tailwheel touched the ground, the pilot receiving instruction attempted to control the left swerve with the right rudder. This resulted in the airplane veering to the right side of the runway and colliding with a snowbank. The airplane subsequently nosed over substantially damaging the fuselage, right wing strut and vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 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).
- — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
- — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2023_WPR23LA144.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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