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Thread: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

  1. #1

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    Unhappy Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    Bad news on my project. The aircraft was damaged after I executed an off-field landing on a Par 3. I could not get it stopped in time. However, I walked away with only a few scratches. Keep those shoulder belts tight. Damage is being assessed and options being considered.
    More later when the cause is understood, Don

  2. #2
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    Don, so sorry to hear about your Kitfox. So glad you are unhurt. Keep us posted.


    DesertFox4
    Admin.
    7 Super Sport
    912 ULS Tri-gear


  3. #3
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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    Don, Glad you are well and no serious injuries. Hope acft is repairable with out too much damage.

    Dick B

  4. #4
    Agfoxflyer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    Don, I feel your pain. I put my 5 down in a beanfield in October after a engine failure. Glad you had no serious injuries. My kitfox flying days are over, but at least my brother lets me fly his RV-9A.
    David E.
    Woodstock, Georgia
    N97DE S5 TD Flying

    N97KE RV-9A Sold
    N96KE RV10 Sold
    Rans S21 Helping Brother Build (Selling)
    Vans RV-14A (On Order)

  5. #5
    Senior Member Dorsal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    SaintAero, glad your OK, always troubling posts but good to know about, hope that beautiful planes flies again before too long.

    Agfox, did you ever determine the cause of your engine failure?
    Dorsal ~~^~~
    Series 7 - Tri-Gear
    912 ULS Warp Drive

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    I put my 5 down in a beanfield in October after a engine failure.
    Yeah agfoxflyer.. what happened. did you have the 912ULS?

    p.s. found your post about the incident http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=891
    Last edited by Iceflyer; 07-13-2010 at 04:34 PM. Reason: found related post

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    I'm glad I was in a Kitfox for this. Even though I am not that proficient in Kitfox power-off short-field landings, I managed to land on the fairway right in front of the green. I used full flaps and full right rudder for the slip to the landing. According to the Dynon recorded data, my airspeed for the slip was 43 MPH which was 5 MPH above a wings-level stall. GPS track was 090 with a 120 heading at a 800 FPM descent. I would not want to try this in my Glasair. Also, the shoulder belts and the steel frame worked well. My minor scratches could have been much worse in many different airplanes. Kudos to steel tubes, TIG welders and low and slow airplanes ! - Don

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    Don,

    It sounds as if you did an excellent job at safely bringing it to a stop just before the Green. Did you get out an 1 putt? Personally I would recommend using a Golf Cart next time at the par 3. Joking aside, it sounds as if you had some help from above, and I am truly glad to hear you safely put her on the ground!

    I hope you did not damage the plane too badly! What type of damage landing gear, tail wheel, prop strike (Ohh, that would leave a nasty divot!)??

    Paul Z
    Paul Zimmermann
    LSRM-A
    Garland, Texas

  9. #9
    Agfoxflyer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    Dorsal & Iceflyer;

    I had a 912ULS with 76 hours on it. Best guess is a fitting failure that allowed the oil pump to inject air into the system. The engine seized and the prop free wheels, so the gear box is broken internally. I guess there is a possiblity of gear box failure that caused the engine to suddenly stop and then fitting failure, but doubtful.I am a commercial general contractor and given the current economic climate with business off 80% from 3 years ago I could not justify spending any money on the plane so I have given up on Kitfox flying. All my recent attention has been on getting my brothers RV-9A into the air. Maybe the new owner will chime in someday and I'll know for sure what happened. The plane apparently is in storage with no work being done. I had done the annual a few weeks before the failure and went over the engine carefully with no problems observed. Also the engine had retained all its oil at landing. Maybe one day in the distant future I will fly a Kitfox again. As great an airplane the 9A is, you just can't beat a Kitfox for pure fun flying (IMHO).
    David E.
    Woodstock, Georgia
    N97DE S5 TD Flying

    N97KE RV-9A Sold
    N96KE RV10 Sold
    Rans S21 Helping Brother Build (Selling)
    Vans RV-14A (On Order)

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Saint Radial Kitfox Off-field Landing

    I share the same sentiments on Flying a Kitfox. The 20 hours of flying this project was with the fun meter pegged far to the right.

    I can say for sure with the Dynon-recorded data that High Fuel Pressure to the carburetor flooded the engine and caused the loss of power. I still do not have the "smoking gun" on what caused the high fuel pressure. The Dynon was only collecting data every 10 seconds, so much pertinent data was not collected.

    I have decided to sell this project "as is" to a good home. I am offering this to the Kitfox community before I make this available at OSH. See attached flyer.
    Don
    Attached Files Attached Files

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