Amateur-built VELOCITY ELITE RG accident near Langdon, North Dakota, July 31, 1997
On July 31, 1997 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VELOCITY ELITE RG, registered CGPNX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Langdon, North Dakota (Robertson Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll. The crosswind and proximity of the taxiway sign were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1997 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Langdon, North Dakota · Robertson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY ELITE RG VELOCITY E
- Registration
- CGPNX · no longer on the register · serial DM-288
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the winds along the route were from 240 degrees at 20-30 knots, and '...all airports in the vicinity that had fuel, had a runway (paved) heading of 32/14.' Devils Lake, 42 nautical miles southwest of Langdon, was reporting winds from 230 at 11 knots at about the time of the accident. The pilot elected to land at Robertson Field on runway 32 to refuel. During the landing roll, the airplane skidded off the right side of the runway, striking a taxiway sign located 100 feet prior to the departure end of runway 32. According to a witness, the airplane landed long and fast, then skidded in a tight circle before coming to rest. The pilot added in his report that he 'could not hold plane on runway or stop quickly enough.'
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 631 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1997; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JS4 Saskatchewan at 5:15 pm
- Destination: GFK Grankd Forks ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:34 pm from DVL, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.