FAA Investigating Failed Red Bull Airplane Swap

Agency says it had denied organizers’ request for permission to perform the stunt.

Monday, April 25, 2022 at 10:15 AM ET

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Pilot Luke Aikins is seen successfully entering the silver airplane, during Plane Swap in Eloy, Arizona, on April 24, 2022. [Photo: Predrag Vuckovic / Red Bull Content Pool]

Key Takeaways:

The Red Bull Plane Swap attempt failed when one of the two modified Cessna 182s spun out of control, preventing one pilot from re-entering, leading to its crash in the Arizona desert.
The FAA had previously denied an exemption for the maneuver and announced it would investigate the incident, despite reports of no injuries.
While pilot Luke Aikins successfully completed his half of the swap and landed an aircraft, Andy Farrington had to deploy his parachute as his intended plane became uncontrollable.

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Sunday’s vigorously promoted Red Bull Plane Swap missed the mark in more ways than one. Not only did the swap fail, but the maneuver and resulting aircraft crash irked the FAA, which said it “will investigate Sunday evenings attempted Red Bull Plane Swap in Arizona.”

The agency also said that on Friday it “denied the organizer’s request for an exemption from Federal regulations that cover the safe operation of an aircraft.”