# Accident 19980419007089A: Amtr VELOCITY, Romulus, MI, April 19, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 19, 1998, 18:09 local time
- Place: Romulus, MI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.2291° N, 83.3899° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2291&lon=-83.3899&mi=10
- Aircraft: N234Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N234Q-2013-10-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Good Marvin VELOCITY (registry code 05618KZ, https://openairdocs.org/model/good-marvin-velocity) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6A-350SER (registry code 27023, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6a-350ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR VELOCITY
- Reported engine: CONT IO360*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 21,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA129) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980419007089A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

EXPERIMENTAL WAS BEING TRACKED BY US CUSTOMS WHEN IT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, DETROIT, MI.                                               (.4)THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE AIR INTERDICTION COORDINATION CENTER (DAICC), RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM A PARK RANGER AT BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, TX, OF AN UNIDENTIFIED AIRPLANE ENTERING THE UNITED STATES FROM MEXICO. THIS AIRPLANE DID NOT NOTIFY U.S. AUTHORITIES OF ITS ARRIVAL. A U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE AIRCRAFT WAS DISPATCHED, AND IT INTERCEPTED THE AIRPLANE NEAR ALPINE, TX. THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWED THE AIRPLANE ON A NORTHEASTERLY HEADING FOR OVER 8 HOURS, UNTIL ARRIVING IN THE DETROIT, MI, AREA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED OVERFLYING THE DETROIT METROPOLITAN AIRPORT AND CIRCLING OVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UNTIL IT DESCENDED AND CRASHED INTO AN ATHLETIC FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS VOID OF FUEL. NO OTHER ANOMALY WAS FOUND. APPROXIMATELY 408 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE.                                                   (-23) PILOT FLEW NON-STOP FROM EL PASO, TX. AREA.  HE WAS FOLLOWED BY US CUSTOMS AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY RAN OUT OF GAS, ATTEMPTED TO LAND  IN OPEN (SOFTBALL) FIELD, HIT TREES AND FLIPPED OVER. HIT CONCRETE BENCH UPON IMPACT TO GROUND.  AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.  PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA129), Apr 19, 1998: Good Velocity (N234Q), Romulus, MI, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: improper planning/decision by the pilot, by using the airplane in an illegal activity and allowing the fuel to be exhausted before landing. Factors relating to this accident were: the pilot being…

## Other reports on N234Q (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19920723036039I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920723036039I), Jul 23, 1992: Amtr VELOCITY (N234Q), Ft Lauderdale, FL, Minor damage. Experienced electrical problems. Gear collapsed on rollout. Found defective alternator and extension system failure

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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