# NTSB LAX97LA304: Walton Velocity STD/FG, N7VX, Chino Valley, AZ, August 25, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 25, 1997, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Chino Valley, AZ - Coordinates: 34.769721, -112.449203 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7697&lon=-112.4492&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 10, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29886 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX97LA304 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29886/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA304 ## Probable cause a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - high vegetation ## Analysis The aircraft was in cruise when the pilot said the engine began surging. He attempted to rectify the problem by adjusting mixture, magnetos, and the secondary electric fuel pump, without success. As the pilot was looking for a precautionary landing area, the engine quit. The airplane crashed into some small scrub oaks during the forced landing. The insurance adjuster arranged for guard service on the aircraft overnight. When the airplane was recovered the next morning the instrument panel had been stripped of all instrumentation and avionics equipment, and the wings and fuel system had been disassembled from the aircraft. Following recovery of the aircraft, the engine was started and successfully run using the aircraft systems. ## Factual narrative On August 25, 1997, at 1215 hours mountain standard time, a Walton Velocity STD/FG experimental aircraft, N7VX, collided with terrain following a loss of power due to fuel starvation at Chino Valley, Arizona. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated in Winslow, Arizona, at 1050. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he was about 20 miles from Sedona when he noticed the engine surging. He said that he tried both magnetos with no luck. He also said he checked the throttle to readjust the mixture and tried the secondary electric fuel pump, which straightened out the problem for a few minutes. As he was looking for a place to land, the engine quit and he tried to land down a dirt road but collided with some scrub oaks. In his initial report to the Federal Aviation Administration Prescott Flight Service Station, the pilot said that something had gone wrong with the fuel line, thus leading to the fuel starvation of the engine. In his written report to the Safety Board, he said he thought it must have been some sort of fuel starvation problem because the gauges showed that the aircraft was almost full of fuel. The aircraft was retrieved from the accident site and brought to the Air Transport facility in Phoenix, Arizona, for further examination. The pilot's insurance adjuster arranged for guard service on the aircraft overnight following the accident and prior to the retriever's arrival. The individuals who were guarding the aircraft stripped off all instrumentation and avionics equipment. In addition, the wings and fuel system had been disassembled prior to the retriever's arrival. The aircraft was examined under the direction of the Safety Board. The engine manufacturer stated the engine was first observed attached to the airframe and appeared undamaged by any pre-mishap mechanical malfunction. The aircraft electrical system was powered by a jumper battery in an attempt to run the engine. The engine was observed to operate in a normal manner with no unusual sounds or vibrations noted. Both magnetos operated normally when the magneto switch was selected from right to left and back to both. There was no instrumentation in the cockpit to record any parameters during the run-up examination. The Safety Board did not to take custody of the wreckage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7VX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7VX-1998-01-29), registration cancelled 1998-01-29, S/N DM046 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: WALTON VELOCITY STD/FG (VELOCITY) - Registry model: [Walton Moses VELOCITY STD/FG](https://openairdocs.org/model/walton-moses-velocity-std-fg) (registry code 05626W4) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: DMO46 - Airframe hours: 70 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-CIC 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Moses Walton - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 5, 1996, 10 hours before - Departed: WOMACK, AZ - Destination: PRC, PRESCOTT, AZ ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 520 total, 11 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 65 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PRC, 20 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 19970825023729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970825023729A), Aug 25, 1997: Amtr VELOCITY, Chino Valley, AZ, Substantial damage. Fuel exhaustion. Tried for dirt road. Hit scrub oaks. Blamed fuel leak unverifiable due acft stripped prior check. 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.