Amateur-built Velocity 173RG accident near West Jordan, Utah, March 6, 2002
On March 6, 2002 at about 1:55 am local time, a amateur-built Velocity 173RG, registered N278GJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Jordan, Utah (Salt Lake City Municipal 2 airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to ensure that the gear was extended prior to landing. Factors included a failure of a hydraulic down-pressure switch, and the pilot's attention diverted to another aircraft executing an opposite-direction traffic pattern.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2002 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- West Jordan, Utah · Salt Lake City Municipal 2 · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Velocity 173RG
- Registration
- N278GJ · registry record · serial DMO 275
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was attempting a landing after dark on runway 16 at the non-towered airport. The accident pilot reported that as he was turning base for runway 16, another aircraft (registration number not reported or determined), which he had passed on the way into Salt Lake #2 Airport, announced that he was entering downwind for runway 34. The pilot reported that he attempted to talk to the pilot of the other aircraft on the radio, but got no response. The pilot stated that he put the gear switch down, but forgot to check for three green lights since his attention was diverted to the other aircraft. The pilot stated that he saw the other aircraft turning final as he (the accident pilot) was about to flare. The pilot reported that he then attempted to initiate a go-around, but the aircraft's propeller struck the runway and the engine stopped. The aircraft touched down on the sod on the side of the runway and subsequently struck an object on the ground and slid partially back onto the runway. The pilot stated that the other aircraft subsequently landed on runway 34 and went past the accident aircraft. An FAA inspector who was at the airport at the time reported that the landing gear handle was in the "down" position at the accident scene, but that the gear appeared to have never come out of the wells. The pilot of the other aircraft was not identified to the NTSB, and was not contacted. The pilot reported that a hydraulic down pressure switch had failed, disabling normal landing gear extension.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA02LA050.