Amateur-built VELOCITY XL-RG accident near Crestview, Florida, April 17, 2026
On April 17, 2026 at about 3:52 pm local time, a 2015 amateur-built VELOCITY XL-RG, registered N621CM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Crestview, Florida (Bob Sikes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2026 · about 3:52 pm local time
- Place
- Crestview, Florida · Bob Sikes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY XL-RG, built 2015
- Registration
- N621CM · registry record · serial 3RX166
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After performing a practice instrument approach, the pilot performed a touch-and-go landing and remained in the airport traffic pattern for another landing. The pilot reported that the traffic pattern was busy, and that he was focused on a much slower airplane flying ahead of him. The pilot stated that he would normally put the landing gear down on downwind, but due to the distraction of the other traffic, he forgot to extend the landing gear. During the landing, the airplane skidded down the runway with the landing gear retracted and exited into the adjacent grass area resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was equipped with a landing gear position warning horn. The pilot stated that it was not wired through the intercom system, and that with his noise-canceling headset, it was rarely audible. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,341 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 4,750 as pilot in command; 1,264 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 8, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 374.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-N (piston); 374 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCR Bonifay FL at 3:10 pm
- Destination: BCR Bonifay FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 8,006 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from CEW
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCEW 171553Z AUTO 09004KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP196 T02720167=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 10, 2026. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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.