Amateur-built Velocity RG accident near Stateboro, Georgia, March 5, 2019
On March 5, 2019 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1995 amateur-built Velocity RG, registered N101WV, was destroyed in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Stateboro, Georgia (Statesboro-Bulloch County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of airplane control while on final approach in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2019 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stateboro, Georgia · Statesboro-Bulloch County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Velocity RG, built 1995
- Registration
- N101WV · registry record · serial DMO134
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and instructor were on final approach for landing in gusting wind conditions when, about 20 ft above the ground, the airplane's nose dropped and the airplane abruptly lost 20 knots of airspeed. They initiated a go-around, but the airplane's landing gear impacted the runway approach lights, and the airplane subsequently impacted the runway and departed the right side; a postcrash fire consumed a majority of the airplane. Given the wind conditions, the abrupt loss of airspeed, and the subsequent loss of pitch control, it is likely that the airplane encountered windshear while on short final approach with insufficent altitude available to recover.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,232 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,014 as pilot in command; 305 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 23, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 2.5 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 1, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,357.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 17, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-X (piston); 1,358 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Mission Hardware Ltd Co
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: TBR Stateboro GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from TBR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 3, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statements | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record – CFI | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Wreckage Diagrams | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.