ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The pilot who brought down his disabled small plane on Interstate 35W is an accountant by day and an award-winning aerobatic flyer on weekends. Craig Gifford, of Minneapolis, has been flying in aerobatic competition for years. He’s as member of the Experimental Aircraft Association. He represented the United States on the Unlimited Aerobatic Team, which won the bronze medal at world championships in South Africa in 2017. Gifford declined to comment about the after-dark crash-landing Wednesday night, deferring to investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation and Safety Board.
Gifford. Aerobatic flyer in international competition.