What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 17, 2024, at approximately 9:40AM, an experimental aircraft model air creations crashed with 2 persons aboard at Gila Bend (gbn) airport while executing a go-around during traffic patterns. The PIC was fatally injured and the passenger received serious injuries. The investigation revealed the passenger was purchasing the aircraft from the PIC and part of the agreement was the PICprivacy data omitted would teach the buyer how to operate the aircraft.
While on final approach at an unknown altitude, the PIC took control from the buyer to execute a go-around and suddenly veered to the right of the runway. The PIC tried to correct back left to the runway course but was low enough to strike the left wing on a small tree, causing the plane to depart controlled flight and crash approximately 80 feet beyond the tree. The wreckage was in the clear area between the runway and desert foliage, approximately 75 feet from the edge of the runway.
The passenger was interviewed and said there did not appear to be a mechanical issue that caused the PIC to lose control. He did not know why the PIC went to the right after taking control. No witness information was available other than the passenger.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 17, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 9:40AM, AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT MODEL AIR CREATIONS CRASHED WITH 2 PERSONS ABOARD AT GILA BEND (GBN) AIRPORT WHILE EXECUTING A GO-AROUND DURING TRAFFIC PATTERNS. THE PIC WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PASSENGER WAS PURCHASING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE PIC AND PART OF THE AGREEMENT WAS THE PIC^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WOULD TEACH THE BUYER HOW TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT.
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH AT AN UNKNOWN ALTITUDE, THE PIC TOOK CONTROL FROM THE BUYER TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND AND SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PIC TRIED TO CORRECT BACK LEFT TO THE RUNWAY COURSE BUT WAS LOW ENOUGH TO STRIKE THE LEFT WING ON A SMALL TREE, CAUSING THE PLANE TO DEPART CONTROLLED FLIGHT AND CRASH APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET BEYOND THE TREE. THE WRECKAGE WAS IN THE CLEAR AREA BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND DESERT FOLIAGE, APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY.
THE PASSENGER WAS INTERVIEWED AND SAID THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A MECHANICAL ISSUE THAT CAUSED THE PIC TO LOSE CONTROL. HE DID NOT KNOW WHY THE PIC WENT TO THE RIGHT AFTER TAKING CONTROL. NO WITNESS INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE OTHER THAN THE PASSENGER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.