Velocity VELOCITY XL N340XL

Summary

On 27 June 2023 at about 15:12 local time, a Velocity VELOCITY XL registered N340XL was involved in an accident near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 June 2023 at 15:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

35.9154, -94.9700

Aircraft

Velocity VELOCITY XL

Registration

N340XL

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rush Springs → Berryville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA268

1 person was seriously injured.

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that three days before the accident flight, he had a loss of engine power and performed an uneventful forced landing into a field. The airplane was inspected by mechanics after the forced landing; however, they were unable to determine the reason for the loss of engine power. The pilot departed the field three days later. The pilot stated that one hour after departure, while cruising at 10,000 ft above ground level (AGL), the engine began to misfire. He descended to 9,500 ft AGL and tried to troubleshoot the loss of engine power and then the engine quit. During a forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The electronic devices removed from the airplane were either damaged and could not be functionally tested or did not reveal any pertinent data. A review of the airframe and engine logbooks did not reveal any discrepancies of uncorrected issues with the airframe or engine. A postaccident examination of the airframe and fuel-injected engine revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The examination did reveal that the fuel cap O-rings were cracked and slightly dry-rotted. According to the airframe manufacturer, the dry-rotted O-rings may have prevented even fuel flow from the fuel tanks due to the fuel caps being non-venting, thus requiring a tight seal for proper fuel flow. However, the pilot reported that the sump tank low fuel light never came on, and there was no evidence of blue staining on top of the wings that would have indicated improperly sealed fuel caps. Due to impact damage, the engine could not be functionally tested and the fuel system could not be examined in its entirety. The reason for the total power loss was not determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.