What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Failed timely recovery from a airshow spin. (-23) on September 20, 1997, at 1315 central daylight time, an erotek pitts S-2A aerobatics airplane, N73EW, was destroyed following a loss of control while maneuvering near San Marcos, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The aiplane was owned and operated by the pilot under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerobatics demonstrations flight which originated from the San Marcos Municipal Airport approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident. The airplane was performing at the sixth annual confederate air force at the San Marcos airport. Witnesses at the airport reported that the airplane impacted the ground in a near level attitude while recovering from a spin.
As the FAA filed it
FAILED TIMELY RECOVERY FROM A AIRSHOW SPIN. (-23) ON SEPTEMBER 20, 1997, AT 1315 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EROTEK PITTS S-2A AEROBATICS AIRPLANE, N73EW, WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR SAN MARCOS, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE AEROBATICS DEMONSTRATIONS FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM THE SAN MARCOS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS PERFORMING AT THE SIXTH ANNUAL CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE AT THE SAN MARCOS AIRPORT. WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE WHILE RECOVERING FROM A SPIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.