What happened
On March 17, 2024, an experimental amateur-built Air Creation Twin weight-shift control aircraft, N4425L, was involved in an accident near Gila Bend Municipal Airport (E63) in Arizona. The flight was being conducted as a Part 91 instructional flight. The pilot was providing flight instruction to a passenger who was in the process of purchasing the aircraft.
After flying in the local area for approximately 45 minutes, the crew returned to the airport to practice touch-and-go takeoffs and landings on runway 04. During the second approach, the passenger was at the controls when the pilot took control, stating, “my airplane.”
The aircraft drifted to the right of the runway centerline, overflying a dirt area covered in brush and vegetation. The pilot increased engine power and maneuvered the aircraft to the left to return to the runway. During this descending left turn, the aircraft was traveling at a fast approach speed and the delta wing struck a 10-foot mesquite tree. The aircraft then impacted the ground near taxiway E, coming to rest on its right side approximately 158 feet southeast of the runway 04 centerline.
The accident resulted in 1 fatal injury to the pilot and 1 minor injury to the passenger.
The investigation
Investigators found that the aircraft's nose-gear and control pedals had separated from the main wreckage, consistent with a nose-down ground impact. The examination of the airframe revealed substantial damage to the forward carriage keel frame and the wing keel, which had fractured at the hang point. The propeller blades also sustained damage, with three of the four blades fracturing near midspan.
No evidence of mechanical failure was found in the engine or the fuel system. The passenger reported that the engine sounded strong during the flight, and the investigation confirmed that the engine and flight controls were functioning normally prior to the collision with the tree. Additionally, no aircraft maintenance records or logbooks were available for review at the time of the investigation.
An examination of the pilot's logbook showed his last recorded flight in this specific aircraft was in December 2015. The pilot held a private pilot certificate but did not possess a flight instructor rating.