Amateur-built VELOCITY accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, May 5, 1990
On May 5, 1990 at about 6:11 pm local time, a amateur-built VELOCITY, registered N469Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1990 · about 6:11 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Teresa, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY
- Registration
- N469Q · registry record · serial HQA-89V61-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DOING HIGH SPEED TAXI IN AN EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT AIRCRAFT IN WHICH HE WAS PART OWNER AND BUILDER. HE HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT. WHILE CONDUCTING A TAXI TEST THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO FLY THE PATTERN. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH IMPACTED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 311 hours in all; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 255 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 29, 1988; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from ELP, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.