Accident Overview
On April 9, 2026, at approximately 1224 Pacific daylight time, an Airplane Factory (Pty) Ltd. Sling 2 airplane, registration N166TW, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Avalon, California. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Path
The airplane departed Zamperini Field Airport (TOA) in Torrance, California, at 1153, en route to Santa Catalina Island. Preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data indicated that after departure, the aircraft crossed open water and arrived over Santa Catalina Island at Blue Cavern Point. It then traversed a ridge and flew southbound through a canyon east of Little Harbor Road, crossed another ridgeline, and intersected the Trans Catalina Trail north of Shark Harbor. The airplane subsequently followed the southern coastline until ADS-B signal was lost about one mile southwest of the accident site.
Witness Account
A witness hiking the Trans Catalina Trail reported seeing a low-flying airplane dip into Little Springs Canyon, cross the ridgeline of the trail, and continue on a southwesterly heading. The witness estimated the airplane to be less than 50 feet above the ridgeline and never more than 100 feet above the ground. Cross-referencing ADS-B data with GPS data from the hiker indicated that the observed aircraft was likely N166TW. This sighting occurred about 11 minutes before the accident, approximately 9 miles northwest of the accident site.
Impact and Wreckage
The airplane struck terrain and came to rest on the downward slope of a steep canyon, about 400 feet southwest of the intersection of Divide Road and Avalon Canyon Road. All four corners of the aircraft were accounted for at the scene. The wreckage was oriented nose-low with the tail section elevated. The tail from the forward horizontal stabilizer sustained impact damage and remained attached to the aft fuselage only by the elevator push-pull tube. The engine compartment and lower fuselage, up to mid-fuselage, were compressed upward and aft into the firewall and instrument panel. This impact damage prevented confirmation of flight control continuity. The ignition switch was on, the fuel selector was positioned to the left tank, and the flaps were fully retracted at impact. The ballistic parachute rocket had not been deployed. Avionics data cards, motherboards, and other electronic devices were sent to the NTSB Recorders Lab for data extraction. The wreckage was recovered for further examination.