Amateur-built VELOCITY ELITE accident near Bullhead City, Arizona, March 17, 2023
On March 17, 2023 at about 7:57 pm local time, a 2001 amateur-built VELOCITY ELITE, registered N2214W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bullhead City, Arizona (Sun Valley Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s improper landing during crosswind conditions and the flight instructor’s failure to take remedial action, which resulted in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2023 · about 7:57 pm local time
- Place
- Bullhead City, Arizona · Sun Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY ELITE 173RG, built 2001
- Registration
- N2214W · registry record · serial V420
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the student pilot aborted the first landing attempt due to crosswind conditions. During the second landing, the airplane bounced, then weather vaned and exited the runway to the right, substantially damaging the right wing tip before coming to rest. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane what would have precluded normal operation.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 31,000 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command; 13,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 280 hours in all; 1.7 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1.7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 20, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 57 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHND Henderson NV
- Destination: A20 Bullhead City AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,700 ft by 42 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
Weather report (METAR): METAR KIFP 172200Z 34012KT 10SM CLR 19/M05
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 8, 2023. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo of Wing Damage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2214W 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.