Airplane Did Not Lift Off When Expected, And That The Controls Were Sluggish

Location: Logan, Utah Accident Number: WPR25LA227
Date & Time: July 22, 2025, 16:40 Local Registration: N422K
Aircraft: Hartline J Bon Hartline Kitfox III Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis: The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during takeoff roll, the airplane did not lift off when expected, and that the controls were sluggish. He applied flaps and the airplane “popped up off the runway.” Once airborne, the airplane began to drift to the right and despite the pilot’s corrections, continued to drift to the right. Subsequently, the airplane descended, landed hard, and came to rest upright, about 90° off runway heading. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He added that prior to takeoff, he did not check the windsock prior to takeoff and did not compensate enough for the high density altitude and the airplane being near its maximum gross weight. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taking off on runway 28, with wind variable from 180° to 270° at 9 knots. The calculated density altitude at the time of the accident was 7,501 ft.

Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff in variable wind and high density altitude conditions.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov