19970712018149A

Aircraft was performing airshow routine, hit the ground while completing a half cuban eight maneuver. (.4)the pilot said that he was performing an airshow routine with another airplane. He had just come across the top of a '1/2 cuban eight' maneuver, and visually located the other airplane, as he was maneuvering for an opposing pass. He stated, 'descending back to show center, I lost sight of the other airplane due to my top wing being in my line of sight.' The pilot visually searched for the other airplane. He said, 'due to the time of day, haze and color of the other airplane, I didn't pick him up. At one instant, something caught my eye. I glanced up, and the next instant, touched down on a slight descent at about 160 miles per hour. The long rigid [landing] gear collapsed easily. I pulled the airplane back into the air, made a slight right turn to line up on runway 13 and landed.' Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. (-23) the airman was completing a half cuban eight maneuver (a half loop with a roll at the top to the right side up position, followed by a rapid des cent) after takeoff during the opening act of an airshow. At the completion of the maneuver, the aircraft struck the ground. The aircraft bounced back into the air, the airman banked the aircraft to the right of the showline and successfully completed an emergency landing, with no power and without landing gear, on runway 13. The pilot-in-command stated that he became distracted because of haze and the fact that the upper wing center section blocked his vision.