NTSB Factual Report

During approach and landing at his home airport, the pilot of an amateur built Velocity 173 Fixed, experienced wind gusts to 19 knots. After "turning final" for runway 18, at an airspeed of approximately 85 knots, the pilot lowered the airplane's speed brake. The airplane then crossed the runway threshold about 80 knots. The pilot reported that the approach had been normal and he "had a slight crab into the wind" to correct for drift, and had applied rudder to align the airplane with the runway. After touchdown the airplane rolled out for a few feet when the right wing "abruptly raised." The pilot tried to correct with right aileron input and applied full power to execute a go-around. The airplane went off the side of the runway and all three landing gear wheels were still on the ground. The pilot elected to continue the go-around and the airplane continued to roll along the ground as the pilot waited for it to reach the rotation speed of 65 knots. He did not however, see a drainage gully. The nose gear impacted the gully, the main landing gear impacted a second gully and was sheared off, and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area on the airport surface. The airplane was substantially damaged having received damage to its nose, canard, fuselage, landing gear, propeller, flight control surfaces, and wings. Runway 18 was 7,550 feet long, 210 feet wide, and consisted of asphalt. The reported wind at an airport located approximatley 8 miles southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 230 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the wind gusts.