Amateur-built VELOX REV II accident near Mulberry, Florida, April 13, 2000
On April 13, 2000 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VELOX REV II, registered N103MV, was destroyed in an accident near Mulberry, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The bending overstress separation of the elevator pitch control rod for undetermined reasons. This resulted in an in-flight loss of control, bail out, and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2000 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mulberry, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOX REV II VELOX REV
- Registration
- N103MV · no longer on the register · serial DHM002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing an aerobatic sequence in preparation for an airshow. After several maneuvers he experienced a loss of elevator control while inverted. He jettisoned the canopy and bailed out. Examination of the flight control system revealed a failure of the elevator pitch control rod. Further analysis of the pitch control rod revealed the rod had failed in bending overstress for undetermined reasons.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 4,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 2000; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,025 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 4:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from LAL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.