Rose VELOCITY 173/FG-E accident near Santa Monica, California, July 11, 1999
On July 11, 1999 at about 9:37 pm local time, a Rose VELOCITY 173/FG-E, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N137V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition and his failure to maintain runway alignment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1999 · about 9:37 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Monica, California · Santa Monica Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rose VELOCITY 173/FG-E VELOCITY, amateur-built
- Registration
- N137V · no longer on the register · serial 0394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on a return flight back to the airport, and after obtaining the ATIS, he made a right traffic pattern for runway 21. ATIS reported winds at 240 degrees and 12 knots. The pilot said that during the landing sequence just as the landing gear were about to touchdown, there was a strong gust of wind from the right, which lifted the wing significantly. The airplane was lifted 6 feet in the air and suddenly dropped to the ground. The airplane bounced and began to porpoise down the runway. The pilot applied full throttle and initiated a go-around. The plane accelerated and started to climb, but slowly due to the partially deployed speed brake. The airplane passed over the taxiway guardrail and clipped two airplanes parked next to a hangar. The airplane came to rest after it crossed another taxiway and hit a steel hangar door.
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: 312 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1998; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Velocity 173-FG-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,987 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:23 pm from SMO
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.