What happened
On April 24, 2025, at approximately 11:35 EDT, an MX Aircraft Tech PTY LTD MXS airplane, registration N530RH, was involved in a fatal accident at Langley Air Force Base (LFI) in Hampton, Virginia. The aircraft was operating under Part 91 as a personal flight, having traveled from Smyrna Airport (MQY) in Tennessee. The pilot had intended to perform an aerobatic routine for an upcoming airshow.
Witnesses observed the aircraft on approach to runway 08. The flight appeared normal until the aircraft reached the end of the runway, where it leveled off at approximately 50 feet. The airplane then traveled straight down the runway for several hundred feet before experiencing two "porpoise" motions. Following these oscillations, the aircraft pitched upward, rolled 90 degrees to the left, and descended into the ground.
The accident resulted in 1 fatality. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and came to rest in a grass ditch approximately 100 feet from the left side of runway 08.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's configuration and structural integrity. The MXS is an experimental category aircraft that the pilot had modified to adjust elevator feel for different aerobatic routines. This modification involved using an aluminum threaded plug to access holes in the elevators to insert or remove counterweights.
Investigators found that the left elevator counterweight plug was not installed. The plug was recovered approximately 10 feet behind the wreckage. Evidence at the scene indicated that the plug had been in contact with the horizontal stabilizer, as the structure showed dents and paint scrapes consistent with the plug. Dirt found in the counterbore and on the plug was consistent with the soil at the accident site.
Structural examination of the aircraft revealed:
- The left elevator was fractured at the upper bracket.
- The propeller blades were damaged, with two broken off at the hub.
- The center fuel tank was breached, and all fuel tanks were empty.
- The control column and throttle grip were fractured.
- The elevator trim tab was found in the full up position.