Velocity 173 RG ELITE accident near N. Little Rock, AR
On March 26, 1998, a Velocity 173 RG ELITE (airplane) was involved in an accident near N. Little Rock, AR. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 26, 1998
- Place
- N. Little Rock, AR
- Aircraft
- Velocity 173 RG ELITE · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.840°N, 92.331°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X09662
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT: On March 26, 1998, at 1610 central standard time, a Velocity 173 RG Elite homebuilt experimental airplane, N173VE, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain following a loss of engine power during the takeoff/initial climb from the North Little Rock Municipal Airport, North Little Rock, Arkansas. The airplane was owned and operated by private individuals under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and the passenger received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. Witnesses were interviewed by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC). A pilot, located at the police base of operation building parallel to runway 17, observed the airplane during the takeoff and stated "I could hear a vibration like a prop[eller]. As the aircraft lifted off, there was certainly a problem with control, it would porpoise, yaw, and roll approximately 20 degrees on each axis. The engine was increasing and decreasing RPM rapidly. All these difficulties could be seen [and] heard during the flight until just before impact then the engine stopped." A witness, standing on the ramp area parallel to the runway, observed the airplane proceeding down runway 17 "abort the takeoff and taxi back to the end of the runway." The aircraft then successfully took off and when it was about 500 feet [agl] the right wing dipped and the plane dipped a little to the right, turned right on course, and headed over Camp Robinson [National Guard Facility adjacent to
Probable cause
Inadequate fusion between the valve stem and head due to inadequate quality control during construction of the exhaust valve for the number three cylinder. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing
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Browse: Arkansas
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
