Amateur-built XL-RG Velocity accident near San Diego, California, January 30, 2002
On January 30, 2002 at about 9:40 pm local time, a amateur-built XL-RG Velocity, registered CFPDL, was destroyed in an accident near San Diego, California (Mcas Miramar/Mitscher Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight planning and decision making, which resulted in exhaustion of the airplane's fuel supply and loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2002 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Mcas Miramar/Mitscher Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built XL-RG Velocity
- Registration
- CFPDL · no longer on the register · serial 3RX-031
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amateur built, experimental airplane, contacted the military tower and said: "... tower this is Canadian papa delta lima with an emergency we've uh run out of fuel." The tower controller gave the pilot the altimeter setting and surface wind and clearance to land on the runway nearest the pilot's position. There was a subsequent conversation between the tower and the pilot a few seconds later regarding the arresting gear in place on the runway during which the pilot said: "we're just hoping we make the runway." The tower controller approved landing on the taxiway. The airplane subsequently impacted an embankment about 200 feet short of the runway threshold in an open, grassy area. An FAA inspector responded to the scene and reported finding only a small amount of fuel (less than 1 quart) in the aircraft. The fuel tanks were not breached. The builder of the airplane said it was equipped with a fuel totalizer system that used capacitance type fuel quantity sensors and had been carefully calibrated and was quite accurate. Prior to the accident flight, the builder said that he observed the pilot use a plain, uncalibrated stick of wood to measure the fuel quantity during his preflight inspection of the aircraft. No fuel was added. He thought it odd that the pilot used the same, moistened, end of the same stick to measure the quantity in the second tank. The pilot commented they wouldn't be out very long, maybe 1 hour.
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: 770 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 16, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTP101-600-A1 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 8:54 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6L, 12,000 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from NKF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.