Amateur-built Questair #20 Venture accident near Carefree, Arizona, September 2, 2003
On September 2, 2003 at about 12:50 pm local time, a amateur-built Questair #20 Venture, registered N29G, was destroyed in an accident near Carefree, Arizona (Sky Ranch airport). 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 misjudgment of speed/distance and his failure to do a go-around. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control, and his delay aborting the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2003 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Carefree, Arizona · Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Questair #20 Venture
- Registration
- N29G · no longer on the register · serial 39
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a wall at the departure end of the runway during an aborted landing attempt. Tire skid marks on the runway indicated the airplane touched down 2/3 of the way down the length of the runway. The airplane veered to the right and entered a taxiway. The pilot attempted to regain aircraft control and powered up the engine. At that point the airplane started to travel 45-degrees toward the runway. It crossed a dirt section and the left main landing gear struck a visual approach slope indicator light. The airplane, still at a 45-degree angle to the runway center line, then started to porpoise across the runway. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway, became airborne, and flew over a wash before impacting a wall. Witnesses indicated that after the airplane became airborne again, it had a 45-degree nose up pitch attitude, though it did not appear to be climbing. Witnesses said the engine sounded normal. The airframe was destroyed in the collision sequence and post crash fire.
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; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 9:02 am
- Destination: 18AZ Carefree AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 4,037 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from DVT, 12 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.