Amateur-built VELOCITY RG accident near Kennesaw, Georgia, May 9, 2000
On May 9, 2000 at about 8:04 pm local time, a amateur-built VELOCITY RG, registered N34BD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kennesaw, Georgia (Cobb County-Mccollum airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A separation of the lower engine cowling and subsequent partial separation of propeller blades during a low high-speed pass. A factor was the recent maintenance work performed by the owner/pilot mechanic.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2000 · about 8:04 pm local time
- Place
- Kennesaw, Georgia · Cobb County-Mccollum · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY RG VELOCITY R
- Registration
- N34BD · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing a low high-speed pass at 200 ft. agl over runway 27, the airplane experienced an extreme vibration and veered to the right. The pilot climbed to 1,000 ft. agl, reduced the power to idle, and the engine then quit. He initiated a forced landing in a field north of the airport. During the forced landing, the airplane collided with several trees and a chain link fence. The main wreckage was located 2 miles north of the airport, and the lower engine cowling of the rear mounted engine, 2 feet of one propeller blade and 6 inches of the opposite propeller blade were located 1,600 ft. from the approach end of runway 27. An inspection of the separated section of the lower cowling revealed that the attachment points were torn from their respective fasteners. According to the airplane's maintenance records, the pilot had recently performed maintenance on the airplane by removing and reinstalled the cowling.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 668 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 1999; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYY at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,355 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from MGE, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.