NTSB: False Oil-Pressure Reading, Overspeed Doomed Velocity V-Twin

A misread cockpit indication and failure to respect airspeed limitations caused a fatal crash near Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined. Remington Viney, a staff sergeant with the Wisconsin Air National Guard, died when a Velocity V-Twin experimental aircraft struck a river in an inverted attitude.

A Chain of Human Factors

The aircraft was operating under an FAA Special Flight Permit for a ferry flight to Florida — a permit that explicitly required the landing gear to remain extended throughout the flight. Shortly after takeoff, the crew observed a red "X" on the Garmin G3X left-engine oil-pressure indication. Treating the warning as confirmation of engine failure, the crew shut down the left engine. Investigators later determined the indication was triggered by a damaged wiring harness; the engine itself was functioning normally.

Structural Failure From Overspeed

While attempting to return to the airport on single-engine power, the aircraft accelerated approximately 16 knots beyond the maximum landing-gear-extended speed (VLE). The NTSB concluded that the overspeed — compounded by asymmetric thrust — caused the right main landing-gear door to separate. The door then struck the right propeller, destroying it and resulting in a total loss of power. Investigators emphasized that the accident was not caused by a mechanical engine failure, but by a failure to cross-check instrumentation and adhere to placarded speed limitations — a reminder that systematic instrument verification and strict speed discipline are critical, particularly during abnormal procedures.