Amateur-built VELOCITY 173 accident near Maricopa, Arizona, March 25, 2013
On March 25, 2013 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built VELOCITY 173, registered N33SV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Maricopa, Arizona (Pegasus Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the throttle body revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2013 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Maricopa, Arizona · Pegasus Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY 173
- Registration
- N33SV · registry record · serial DMO 209
- 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, after about 30 minutes in cruise flight, the engine began to run roughly, followed by a loss of power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine twice but was unsuccessful. He then initiated an emergency landing on a dirt road. During the landing roll, the left wing struck an irrigation pipe, which resulted in the airplane departing the road and coming to rest in a field. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the engine was modified with an Ellison throttle body under an experimental, amateur-built airworthiness certificate. Attempts to run the engine with the Ellison throttle body installed were unsuccessful. Once the throttle body was removed, the engine successfully started. An examination and teardown of the throttle body did not reveal any anomalies that would have caused the throttle body to malfunction.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 31, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 450 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 26, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-EXP (piston); 900 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5AZ3 Queen Creek AZ at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 5AZ3 Queen Creek AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from CGZ, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N33SV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.