Amateur-built QUESTAIR VENTURE accident near Delano, California, April 29, 2000
On April 29, 2000 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built QUESTAIR VENTURE, registered N9QV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delano, California (Delano Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of directional control during landing for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2000 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Delano, California · Delano Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUESTAIR VENTURE QUESTAIR V
- Registration
- N9QV · no longer on the register · serial 0004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the landing roll the airplane veered to the left and departed the runway with the right wheel hitting a concrete storm drain causing the airplane to nose over and come to rest inverted. The pilot reported that the attachment for the nose landing gear yoke had broken off. A 500-foot skid mark was found on the runway. The nose landing gear underwent a metallurgical examination. The fracture surfaces observed exhibited fractures consistent with overload stresses. There were no manufacturer design or material defects noted.
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: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 646 hours in all; 234 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 602 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 920 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 6, 2000; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: DLO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,651 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from BFL, 21 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.