Introduction
On March 25, 2026, about 1453 eastern daylight time, an experimental homebuilt Airshark airplane, registration N220AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesboro, Georgia. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Accident Narrative
The airplane was being prepared for a ferry flight from Statesboro, Georgia, to Carrollton, Georgia. One of the pilots decided to conduct a local flight to verify the airplane's performance before the cross-country flight. Local authorities received a cell phone crash alert at 1453. First responders located the wreckage in a wheat field, where the airplane came to rest inverted.
Wreckage Examination
The airplane struck a tree at about 42 feet above the ground in a 14° right wing low attitude on a 062° magnetic heading. A ground scar 215 feet forward from the tree appeared to have been created by a propeller strike. At 218 feet from the tree, a large ground scar led to the airplane, which came to rest 245 feet from the tree. An impression in the soil to the left of the large ground scar was consistent with the right wing, as evidenced by a green position light lens found at the outer end of the impression.
An on-site examination revealed no anomalies with the flight control system or flight control surfaces. Continuity was verified for the ailerons, rudder, and elevators.
Fuel System
The airplane was reported to have been fueled to capacity (118 gallons) before the accident flight. The fuel selector was in the left fuel tank position. Both fuel tanks were breached, and surrounding vegetation was yellow. The right fuel cap and its receptacle were separated from the wing but present in the debris field. Both fuel caps were present and secure.
Access holes were made in the wings near the wing root to examine fuel tank finger screens with a borescope. The right fuel tank finger screen was unobstructed. The left fuel tank finger screen was corroded and appeared 30 to 40% obstructed. The obstruction's appearance was consistent with solder used to manufacture the finger screen's seam and end cap, not foreign object debris. Both fuel tanks were clean around the finger screens.
The airplane was equipped with a bail-type gascolator and an inline paper element fuel filter. The gascolator bowl contained blue liquid with an odor consistent with 100LL aviation fuel. Water-indicating paste showed a small amount of water, about ½ teaspoon. No filtering element or screen was present in the gascolator bowl, and rust was present at the bottom.
The paper fuel filter contained blue liquid, and water-indicating paste did not indicate water. The filter element was generally clean, but some rust and corrosion were present in the metal housing. No leaks or anomalies were found along the fuel lines. Fuel was present in the engine compartment fuel lines and all engine fuel system components. The fuel injector servo and fuel flow divider showed no anomalies. The engine-driven fuel pump produced air at the outlet port when actuated by hand and showed no anomalies on disassembly.
Engine and Propeller
The engine valve covers were removed, and crankshaft continuity to the rear gears and valvetrain was confirmed. Compression and suction were observed from all six cylinders. A wire screen covered the fuel injector servo; corrosion and trapped debris were present. No other induction air filtration system was installed. Both magnetos exhibited impact damage; the left magneto did not produce spark when rotated by hand, while the right magneto produced spark when rotated with a drill. Spark plug electrodes showed dark grey coloration and normal wear; the No. 3 bottom spark plug electrodes were oil soaked. The ignition harness was secure with no damage.
Oil was observed in the engine. The oil suction screen contained about ¼ teaspoon of dark granular material. The oil filter was not examined due to impact damage.
The propeller remained attached to the engine. One blade was bent aft about 20° about 10 inches from its tip; one blade was curved aft about 50° about 12 inches from its tip; and one blade was curved aft about 80° about 12 inches from its tip. All three blades were twisted in varying amounts toward their faces.
Additional Equipment
A Levil Flight Aviation broadcasting outer module (BOM) was found on the ground next to the airplane, attached to one of the wing’s lower wing skin access covers. The unit can provide flight data wirelessly to a phone or tablet when configured. It was reported installed on the day of the accident, but the contracted ferry flight pilot declined to configure it due to time constraints. The unit may contain a flash memory card and was retained for further examination.