Amateur-built VELOCITY XL RG accident near Petaluma, California, December 4, 2016
On December 4, 2016 at about 11:25 pm local time, a 2006 amateur-built VELOCITY XL RG, registered N84KJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Petaluma, California (Petaluma Muni airport). 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 pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an aborted landing, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an inadvertent aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction while on final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2016 · about 11:25 pm local time · cases in 2016
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY XL RG NO SERIES, built 2006
- Registration
- N84KJ · registry record · serial 051
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that he was on final approach for landing when he observed another airplane landing on the same runway. To maintain separation between the two airplanes, the pilot performed s-turns and retracted the landing gear to improve the glide distance. When he extended the landing gear for the second time in preparation for landing, the landing gear position indicator light did not illuminate. The pilot pushed the gear reset button and subsequently pulled back on the control stick to abort the landing, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and stalling 10 to 20 ft above the runway. A witness observed the accident airplane on final approach with the landing gear retracted and at a low airspeed. The airplane touched down, bounced back into the air, settled onto the runway, and slid about 100 ft before coming to rest. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear handle was in the UP position. A mechanic who recovered the airplane reported that he overheard the pilot say he was distracted on final approach.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 19, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 20, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cmi IO-550 (piston); 500 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O69 Petaluma CA at 10:55 pm
- Destination: O69 Petaluma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,602 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KDVO, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Airplane damage
Photo 2 - Airplane damage
Photo 3 - Airplane damage
Photo 4 - Airplane damage
Photo 5 - Airplane damageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on July 5, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence with the Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N84KJ on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Cmi IO-550 · as the NTSB recorded it
- Petaluma Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,069 since 1982 · 1,087 in the last ten years
- California 27,686 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR17LA032.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.