What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft took off from grass strip dove strgt into ground and exploded pilot suffered fatal inj radner, OH. (.19) rolled inverted on climbout. Tried split s out but too low for full recovery. (.4) a witness observed the pilot perform a reverse half-cuban eight during the initial takeoff climb. At approximately 500 feet above ground level (AGL) the pilot attempted to complete the maneuver from the inverted position; however, approximately 30 degrees nose down, the airplane impacted the ground. The witness further stated that the airplane 'did not have enough altitude to clear the ground.' The pilot purchased the airplane new in June, 1997. It was estimated that the pilot had about 30 hours experience in the make and model accident airplane. The pilot had logged a total of 272 flights which consisted of 113 hours during the month of April, 1997 in a swift S-1 glider. The pilot was previously named a united states national glider aerobatic champion. Interviews with two professional aerobatic pilots indicated that an altitude of 500 feet AGL was required to complete the maneuver in a glider. For the make and model accident airplane, a minimum altitude would be 600 feet AGL depend ing on conditions such as airspeed and density altitude, and that their personal minimums were 800 feet AGL. (-23) airman took off to the west at approx. 45 degrees climb angle and 400 feet AGL. He completed a half snap roll to the right, continued to climb inverted and then attempted to pull through into a half loop. Aircraft impacted the ground exploded and caught fire.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT TOOK OFF FROM GRASS STRIP DOVE STRGT INTO GROUND AND EXPLODED PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJ RADNER, OH. (.19) ROLLED INVERTED ON CLIMBOUT. TRIED SPLIT S OUT BUT TOO LOW FOR FULL RECOVERY. (.4) A WITNESS OBSERVED THE PILOT PERFORM A REVERSE HALF-CUBAN EIGHT DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COMPLETE THE MANEUVER FROM THE INVERTED POSITION; HOWEVER, APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES NOSE DOWN, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE WITNESS FURTHER STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE 'DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE GROUND.' THE PILOT PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE NEW IN JUNE, 1997. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE PILOT HAD ABOUT 30 HOURS EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 272 FLIGHTS WHICH CONSISTED OF 113 HOURS DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL, 1997 IN A SWIFT S-1 GLIDER. THE PILOT WAS PREVIOUSLY NAMED A UNITED STATES NATIONAL GLIDER AEROBATIC CHAMPION. INTERVIEWS WITH TWO PROFESSIONAL AEROBATIC PILOTS INDICATED THAT AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FEET AGL WAS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE MANEUVER IN A GLIDER. FOR THE MAKE AND MODEL ACCIDENT AIRPLANE, A MINIMUM ALTITUDE WOULD BE 600 FEET AGL DEPEND ING ON CONDITIONS SUCH AS AIRSPEED AND DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND THAT THEIR PERSONAL MINIMUMS WERE 800 FEET AGL. (-23) AIRMAN TOOK OFF TO THE WEST AT APPROX. 45 DEGREES CLIMB ANGLE AND 400 FEET AGL. HE COMPLETED A HALF SNAP ROLL TO THE RIGHT, CONTINUED TO CLIMB INVERTED AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO PULL THROUGH INTO A HALF LOOP. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND EXPLODED AND CAUGHT FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.