Martin VELOCITY RG accident near Montauk, New York, July 4, 1997
On July 4, 1997 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Martin VELOCITY RG, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N280DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montauk, New York (Montauk 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 failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1997 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Montauk, New York · Montauk · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Martin VELOCITY RG VELOCITY R, amateur-built
- Registration
- N280DM · no longer on the register · serial DMO-280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew a 15 minute local flight with a passenger in his homebuilt airplane, and returned to land at the departure airport. He entered a left downwind for runway 24, lowered the landing gear, and extended the speed brakes when he turned final. About 50 feet above the ground when he began to 'round out for the flair,' he encountered a gust of wind from the southeast. The pilot applied left 'stick and rudder,' full power, and raised the landing gear. When the pilot began to retract the speed brakes, he observed trees ahead of the airplane. The airplane continued to drift right and struck trees. Winds at an airport 18 miles to the southwest were from 230 degrees at 15, gusting to 25 knots.
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
- Flight time: 358 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 234 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 108 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1997; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MPT at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,480 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from HTO, 18 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.