Amateur-built Velocity STD RG accident near Rosamond, California, January 2, 2016
On January 2, 2016 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built Velocity STD RG, registered N133SV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Rosamond, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 1 connecting rod as a result of multiple fatigue cracks for reasons that could not be determined during on postaccident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2016 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rosamond, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Velocity STD RG, built 2014
- Registration
- N133SV · registry record · serial SFE-012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after departure on the local flight, the private pilot observed that the engine temperature was higher than it had been on the previous day's flight. After reducing power, the engine began to surge, which prompted the pilot to return to the airport. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot elected to land in a vacant field. The left wing sustained substantial damage during the landing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 1 connecting rod assembly had failed. Although the reason for the failure could not be determined, the fracture surfaces exhibited signatures of fatigue consistent with a malfunction of the connecting rod bearing, such as improper bearing size, rotation of the bearing during service, or operation of a severely worn bearing. Such conditions would result in higher-than-normal operating stress, and likely contributed to the propogation of the fatigue cracking.
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 (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 847 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 807 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 25, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 66.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 1, 2015; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Subaru EG-33 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L00 Rosamond CA at 10:25 pm
- Destination: L00 Rosamond CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from WJF, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR16LA047.