rsqlite_query_send: could not execute1: unable to open database file

i'm hitting this weird database connection issue with RSQLite that i need to work around somehow. i have documented how to reproduce this issue at the link below:

http://ift.tt/1L2hBjF

> dbSendQuery(db, "create table hfp as select * from hfp_pac as a inner join ac as b on a.h_seq = b.ph_seq AND a.ppposold = b.ppposold")
Error in sqliteSendQuery(conn, statement) : 
  rsqlite_query_send: could not execute1: unable to open database file

i have tried following other SQLite-based stackoverflow questions where users hit the unable to open database file error, but they all say you must explicitly set the full filepath - and this has been no help either.

if anyone could help diagnose why i'm hitting this bug so that i can work around it, i'd appreciate it. thanks!