April 12, 2006, Pearce, Ariz. / Velocity Aircraft XL-RG Experimental

At about 1515 Mountain time, the airplane collided with desert terrain. The Airline Transport pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. Visual conditions prevailed. The operator recently purchased the airplane, outfitting it with numerous recording devices in an effort to obtain aerodynamic information of the airplane. The accident flights test protocol encompassed standard banks and maneuvers. The airplane wreckage was situated on level desert terrain, comprised of dirt and brush. The airplane sustained extensive thermal damage from a post-impact ground fire.