I guess he needs a hug. Be sure to read the last paragraph.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the Velocity line of aircraft, try going here: http://www.velocityaircraft.com/
From Avweb: http://avweb.com/n/?32a
Who? Me? Frustrated? Naw...
You'd think that suffering an engine failure and executing an off-airport landing from which all aboard were able to walk away should be enough for one day. Not so for the pilot of a Velocity kitplane who experienced all this and more on July 21. Here's what the NTSB's preliminary report had to say:
NTSB Identification: LAX01LA254
Accident occurred Saturday, July 21, 2001 at Winslow, AZ
Aircraft:Watkins Velocity, registration: N222RW
Injuries: 1 Minor, 4 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On July 21, 2001, at 0720 hours mountain standard time, an experimental Velocity, N222RW, reported a loss of engine oil pressure and made an emergency forced landing 8 to 10 miles north of Winslow, Arizona. The airplane was destroyed during the ensuing ground obstacle collision sequence, and one passenger received minor injuries. The certificated private pilot and the remaining three passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight by a private owner under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight had originated earlier that morning from Grand Canyon, Arizona, and was en route to Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan had been filed, but not activated.
According to Albuquerque center air traffic control specialists, at 0720, the pilot , who had been flight following with center, requested airport location information as the result of an in-flight maintenance problem. At 0729, the pilot reported that he had experienced a loss of engine oil pressure, and that he was proceeding to the Winslow-Lindbergh Regional airport. At 0733, he advised air traffic controllers that he would be unable to reach Winslow, and that he was "going down." Controllers advised the pilot the location of an emergency landing strip 15 miles north of the airport. Subsequently, controllers lost all radio and radar contact with the airplane.
At 0919, Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Range No. 42 located the accident site. All the occupants were transported to Winslow Memorial Hospital, Winslow, treated, and released.
Navajo County sheriff deputies reported that the pilot later returned to the site with a pickup truck and an ax. He chopped up the airplane, loaded it in the truck, and departed the area. Efforts by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to contact the pilot by telephone have thus far been unsuccessful.
Sounds like he had a really bad day.
