# Accident 20200114003549A: Watson Michael A VELOCITY ELITE RG, St. Petersburg, FL, January 14, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 14, 2020, 15:00 local time
- Place: St. Petersburg, FL
- Airport: Albert Whitted
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.7650° N, 82.6269° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7650&lon=-82.6269&mi=10
- Aircraft: N78BM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N78BM-2021-07-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Watson Michael A VELOCITY ELITE RG (registry code 056042U, https://openairdocs.org/model/watson-michael-a-velocity-elite-rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6A-350SER (registry code 27023, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6a-350ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WATSON MICHAEL A VELOCITY ELITE RG
- Reported engine: FRANKLIN 6A-350SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 12,530 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200114003549A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 14, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500, A VELOCITY AIRCRAFT, N78BM, REGISTERED TO BARRAZA MARIN & ASSOCIATES LLC DBA, ABORTED TAKEOFF AT ST PETE ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT WHEN IT WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ENOUGH SPEED TO BECOME AIRBORNE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT OVER RAN THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST ON TOP OF A SEA WALL EMBANKMENT. THERE WERE THREE PERSONS ON BOARD AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED.

## 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 ERA20LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA077), Jan 14, 2020: Velocity Elite RG (N78BM), St. Petersburg, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the propeller pitch change electric motor, which resulted in an improper setting for takeoff and a subsequent runway overrun. Also causal was the inadequate maintenance and inspection of…

## Other reports on N78BM (1)

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

- [Accident 20201006019709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201006019709A), Oct 6, 2020: Watson Michael A VELOCITY ELITE RG (N78BM), Lady Lake, FL, Substantial damage. The pilot of an amateur built velocity departed gainesville (kgnv) and stated there were no unusual circumstances. The weather was cloudy therefore would not…

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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