# NTSB LAX06LA141: Velocity XL-RG, N732RA, Pearce, AZ, April 12, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 12, 2006, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Pearce, AZ - Coordinates: 31.884721, -109.893058 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8847&lon=-109.8931&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Raytheon Aircraft Company, Federal Aviation Administration, Textron Lycoming - NTSB case key (mKey): 63509 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX06LA141 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63509/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06LA141 ## Probable cause a departure from controlled flight for undetermined reasons, resulting in a collision with terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane departed controlled cruise flight, completed two descending 360-degree turns, and collided with desert terrain. The purpose of the accident flight was for the pilot to execute a 3-hour flight test mission following a predetermined test plan that he had created. The plan prescribed that he would perform a series of maneuvers (including stalls) all of which were to be conducted above 2,000 feet above ground level (agl). Witnesses heard the engine sputter and observed smoke emitting from the airplane. The airplane began to spiral and completed two 360-degree turns while descending. Prior to ground impact, the airplane assumed a wings level configuration and descended nearly vertically toward flat desert terrain. The airplane impacted with little horizontal velocity. A United States Air Force squadron commander who was operating a jet in the accident area the day of the accident stated that he had previously coordinated simultaneous operations with the accident pilot. The commander did not hear or receive a radio call from the accident pilot nor did he make visual contact with the airplane, as he had anticipated. The accident pilot was in communication with Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) personnel and receiving traffic advisories. The pilot's last known communication occurred about 8 minutes prior to the accident. The radar data revealed that the airplane was in cruise flight heading southwest between 4,300 and 4,600 feet agl. The last radar return was recorded approximately 0.58 nautical miles (nm) northeast of the accident location. The accident airplane, an experimental amateur-built that was purchased by the operator for a classified research program, was typical of other Velocity models in its assembly and design configuration. The airplane was loaded with an aft center of gravity (CG) that was 0.4 inches aft of the kit manufacturer's recommended CG envelope; however, the kit manufacturer said the airplane would have been controllable without adverse handling characteristics. The pilot's actions and the airplane's flight characteristics were recorded during the flight by data acquisition units and any deviation from the test card would have been seen by the operator upon the return of the flight. Witnesses in the area observed clear skies at the time of the accident. The airplane and all the equipment onboard were thermally destroyed. During the post accident examinations of the wreckage, no anomalies were found with the airframe or engine. ## Factual narrative 1.1 HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 12, 2006, about 1500 mountain standard time, a Velocity XL-RG, N732RA, descended into desert terrain near Pearce, Arizona. Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS) was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The local test flight departed from Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona, at 1438. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed. The operator reported that the purpose of the accident flight was for the pilot to execute a 3-hour mission around the Tombstone Military Operations Area (MOA). RMS employees all stated that the flight test protocol that the pilot was to follow encompassed a series of predetermined maneuvers. A RMS representative stated that the accident flight was the first test plan out of a series of planned test flights. The purpose of the first test plan flight was to perform an operational check of the data recording equipment on the airplane, which included the video recorders and attitude sensors. A secondary objective of the flight was for ground operations to determine if they could receive a signal from the telemetry equipment onboard the airplane. The flight was not to exceed 3 hours. The second test plan to occur later in the week was the flight in which the telemetry data would be tested. 1.1.1 Witnesses Several witnesses reported observing the airplane prior to impact. One witness, who was also a pilot, stated that when he initially spotted the airplane it was fairly high. As the airplane approached his location, he began to hear the engine sputter; it would momentarily stop for several seconds and then start again. The engine continued the sputtering pattern and the airplane began a clockwise spiral. As the engine continued to sputter, the airplane completed two full 360-degree revolutions (spirals) while descending. During the third revolution, the airplane maneuvered into a wings level configuration and descended toward terrain. The airplane disappeared from the witness's line of sight but he subsequently observed black smoke; he could no longer hear engine noise. A National Transportation Safety Board investigator interviewed a Lieutenant Colonel with the United States Air Force who was the commander of the Fairchild-Republic A-10 squadron that was operating in the Tombstone MOA the day of the accident. He stated that the accident pilot contacted the squadron about 2 weeks prior to the accident with regards to coordinating operations in the Tombstone MOA. The accident pilot specifically asked if it was possible for the RMS airplanes to utilize the MOA if prearranged with the Air Force. Several days later the squadron replied to his request stating that, as the schedule permitted, the accident pilot would be able to coordinate a shared utilization of the airspace. The Lieutenant Colonel further stated that on the day of the accident, the accident pilot had requested to share the Tombstone airspace. The accident pilot had arranged that he would maneuver at 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) and below, and the A-10 pilots would operate at 10,000 feet msl and above. The Lieutenant Colonel, call sign Atlas-1, arrived with a wing commander (flying another A-10) in the Tombstone airspace and both were expecting to hear a radio call from the accident pilot. As part of his normal procedures, the Lieutenant Colonel was simultaneously monitoring the tactical UHF (ultra high frequency) and the AM VHF (very high frequency). During the flight, he neither heard nor made visual contact with the accident pilot or airplane. He did, however, observe black smoke in the distance during his flight, that he believed to be from a burning farm field. The Lieutenant Colonel reported that the accident pilot was an experienced A-10 pilot and would know all of the radio frequencies in the area; he additionally possessed an in-flight guide of the area. The Lieutenant Colonel expected the accident pilot to make a radio call about 5 to 10 miles before reaching the boundary of the Tombstone MOA airspace in an effort to make a deconflicting entry. He also believed that the accident pilot would have known to contact him on the AM VHF when entering the MOA. 1.1.2 Radar and Communications Air Traffic Control (ATC) communication audiotapes from the Tucson Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), Tucson Terminal Radar Control Facility (TRACON), and the Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ABQ ARTCC) were provided to the Safety Board investigator for review. The initial transmission made by the accident pilot occurred at 1423, when he contacted clearance delivery at Tucson International Airport. The pilot was given a discrete beacon code of 0411 and subsequently transferred to ground control followed by the local control frequency. At 1430, an ATC controller cleared the pilot for takeoff. The pilot contacted Tucson TRACON about 1436 while transitioning from 4,700 feet msl to 9,500 feet msl. The pilot stated that his intended destination was the Tombstone MOA. Tucson TRACON terminated radar service at 1446, and the pilot was instructed to change his beacon code to reflect the common visual flight rule (VFR) squawk (1200) and contact ABQ ARTCC. The pilot contacted ABQ ARTCC at 1447, indicating he was located 40 miles east of Tucson. The controller issued the pilot a discrete beacon code of 0702 for flight following services. A minute later, the pilot confirmed with the controller that he would remain on ABQ ARTCC frequency rather than share the military frequency. The pilot additionally requested traffic advisories regarding the military operated A-10 airplanes within the MOA. He assured the controller that traffic coordination had already been made with the "Atlas 1" (A-10) airplane in the vicinity. At 1452, the controller issued a traffic warning of an A-10 airplane in his vicinity operating at 12,500 feet msl. The pilot stated that he had a previous agreement with the A-10 airplanes in the area where they would occupy the airspace at or above 10,000 feet msl, and he would remain below 10,000 feet msl. At 1459, the controller stated that radar contact had been lost due to the aircraft being below radar coverage. Recorded radar data covering the area of the accident was supplied by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the form of a National Track Analysis Program (NTAP) printout from the ABQ ARTCC. The radar data was examined for the time frame, and both 0411 and 0702 beacon codes were observed that matched the anticipated flight track of the airplane en route from Tucson to the Tombstone MOA. ABQ ARTCC radar data consisted of equidistant radar returns from 1445:02 to 1449:48, and from 1454:10 to 1458:56. The data indicated that the airplane was flying in a southeasterly direction towards the Tombstone MOA. The radar target was first identified at 1445:02 on a Mode C reported altitude of 9,800 feet msl. During the proceeding 7 minutes, radar returns disclosed a gradual descent to 9,000 feet msl. Radar returns revealed a slight increase in altitude at 1456:21 to 9,300 feet msl before radar contact was lost at 1458:56. The radar plot stretched over a distance of approximately 13.52 nautical miles (nm) in 11 minutes 19 seconds, equating to a radar-derived ground speed of about 72 knots. The last radar return was recorded southwest of the accident location, approximately 0.58 nm from the accident location on a true course of 106 degrees. 1.2 PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to FAA Airman and Medical Certification records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane ratings for single and multiengine land; he held a type rating for the Boeing 737. His certificate also was endorsed for commercial privileges for airplane single engine ## Aircraft - Registration: [N732RA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N732RA-2012-07-19), registration cancelled 2012-07-19, S/N 3RX085, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Velocity XL-RG - Registry model: [Velocity XL-RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/velocity-xl-rg) (registry code 056090C) (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: 3RX085 - Airframe hours: 471.4 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-D 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Registered owner: Raytheon Missle Systems - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2006, 17.3 hours before - Departed: TUS, Tucson, AZ - Destination: TUS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: fatal; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 4,500 total, 6 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 14 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: TUS, 54 nm away ## 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 20060412006709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060412006709A), Apr 12, 2006: Amtr VELOCITYXLRG, Pearce, AZ, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) N732RA was observed, by residents, flying overhead straight and level with the sound of the engine continually cutting out and then starting back up.… 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.