What happened
On July 2, 2025, at approximately 13:13 Pacific daylight time, an Evolution Aircraft REVOLT weight shift control aircraft, registration N774RS, was involved in an accident near Mount Vernon, Washington. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal purposes.
The pilot had brought the aircraft to a private grass landing strip, measuring approximately 6/00 feet long and 50 feet wide, to take photographs for a potential sale. The strip was oriented north/south and bordered by tall trees. Prior to the accident, the pilot had expressed concerns regarding variable and gusting winds.
After taxiing several times at the north end of the strip, the pilot initiated a southbound takeoff. Video footage shows the aircraft climbing to approximately 30 feet above ground level before banking left toward trees on the eastern side of the runway. As the aircraft approached the tree line, it entered a steep right bank, striking the upper branches of a fir tree before descending into the terrain. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.