What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Top fabric ripped off wing on pullout from a loop. Unable sustain flight full power. Wood leading edge failed. (-23) on 09/17/97 pilot was performing acrobatics at 3000 ft. MSL in his amateur built aircraft. He successfully completed 5 loops. When pulling out of the 6th loop, the pilot reported a loud noise and saw fabric from the top of the top wing, trailing aft of the wings. Pilot was unable to maintain altitude. Returned to airport and landed in heavy growth area adjacent to runway. Aircraft was substantially damaged. Upon inspecting aircraft, it was found that both top wings leading edges forward of wing spars failed and one leading edge assembly departed aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
TOP FABRIC RIPPED OFF WING ON PULLOUT FROM A LOOP. UNABLE SUSTAIN FLIGHT FULL POWER. WOOD LEADING EDGE FAILED. (-23) ON 09/17/97 PILOT WAS PERFORMING ACROBATICS AT 3000 FT. MSL IN HIS AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT. HE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 5 LOOPS. WHEN PULLING OUT OF THE 6TH LOOP, THE PILOT REPORTED A LOUD NOISE AND SAW FABRIC FROM THE TOP OF THE TOP WING, TRAILING AFT OF THE WINGS. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. RETURNED TO AIRPORT AND LANDED IN HEAVY GROWTH AREA ADJACENT TO RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. UPON INSPECTING AIRCRAFT, IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH TOP WINGS LEADING EDGES FORWARD OF WING SPARS FAILED AND ONE LEADING EDGE ASSEMBLY DEPARTED AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.