# NTSB LAX04CA008: Velocity XL, N658SE, Casa Grande, AZ, October 9, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 9, 2003, 16:50 local (23:50 UTC) - Place: Casa Grande, AZ - Coordinates: 32.988334, -111.918891 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9883&lon=-111.9189&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58137 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04CA008 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58137/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA008 ## Probable cause the pilot's misjudged landing flare and inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain runway alignment. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind - visual illusion, pilot in command - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Nose down, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft ## Analysis The airplane landed hard, bounced, and touched down again with the left main landing gear off the runway. On the second touchdown, the left main landing gear came into contact with soft sand. The airplane veered off of the runway. As the nose gear entered the sand, it collapsed and the airplane's nose skid in the sand. The pilot believed that the accident resulted from the airplane being lower than he perceived due to a 50-foot narrower runway than he was accustomed to, and his lack of practice performing crosswind landings. The reported winds were from 190 degrees at 12 knots; the pilot was landing runway 21. ## Factual narrative On October 9, 2003, about 1650 mountain standard time, an experimental Velocity XL airplane, N658SE, made a hard landing and veered off of the runway at Phoenix Regional Airport (A39), Casa Grande, Arizona. The airplane was registered to and being operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Cochise County Airport (P33), Willcox, Arizona, at 1456 for the personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported in a written statement that he was attempting to land on runway 21 at Phoenix Regional Airport. When the airplane was on final approach, he determined that he was too high above the glide path and initiated a go-around. The go-around was uneventful. After going around the pattern, he attempted a second landing. During touchdown, the airplane hit hard and bounced back into the air. Upon returning back down onto the runway, the left main landing gear impacted soft sand, which pulled the airplane to the left and off of the runway. As the nose landing gear made contact with the sand, the gear leg broke and the nose of the airplane slid in the sand until the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose gear, winglet, and rudder control surfaces. The pilot's recommendation to prevent future accidents was that he should have had more crosswind landing practice. In a phone conversation the pilot added that the runway at Phoenix Regional was 50 feet wide, and he was accustomed to landing on runways over 100 feet wide. He believed that the accident resulted from the airplane being lower than he perceived, and his lack of practice performing crosswind landings. A routine aviation weather report (METAR) was issued at 1655. It reported winds from 190 degrees at 12 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N658SE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N658SE), registered now, S/N 3FX017, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Velocity XL - Registry model: [Wood Robert D VELOCITY XL](https://openairdocs.org/model/wood-robert-d-velocity-xl) (registry code 05610XV) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 3FX017 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert D. Wood - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: P33, Willcox, AZ - Destination: A39, Phoenix, AZ - Airport: A39, Phoenix Regional, runway 21 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 346 total, 217 in this make and model, 54 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031009026549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031009026549A), Oct 9, 2003: Amtr VELOCITYXL, Phoenix, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) During approach to land on runway 21 at Phoenix Regional Airport (A39), pilot stated encountering gusty crosswind conditions and performed a go-around.… ## Other investigations on N658SE (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 ATL01LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA029), Feb 3, 2001: Robert D. Wood Velocity Xlfg (N658SE), Sebastian, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The manufacturer's inadequate design of the winglet/rudder assembly, and inadequate bonding techniques for metal to fiber structures, which resulted in control surface flutter. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.