What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed enroute, the two POB suffered fatal inj. (.4) the pilot and a pilot-rated passenger, flying a russian built unlimited class aerobatic airplane, joined a second aerobatic airplane for a planned photo flight. The two airplanes flew alongside each other while the passengers took photographs. The photo flight altitudes varied between 2,600 and 3,400 feet MSL. After the photo session was completed, the pilot of the accident airplane stated he was going to demonstrate some aerobatic maneuvers to his passenger. During a turn, the pilot of the second airplane momentarily lost sight of the accident airplane. When he regained sight of the accident airplane, he estimated it was between 2,700 to 3,000 feet MSL, in what appeared to be an inverted right spin. The spin continued for between 5 to 7 turns until the airplane collided with trees. The accident airplane was being operated in the united states under an experimental/exhibition airworthiness certificate. It has light control forces, and a roll rate of 340 degrees per second. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was found. The pilot was an active U.S. Air force lt. general with extensive military experience. He had a ccrued 16.6 hours in the accident airplane. According to his logbook, he had practiced several aerobatic manuevers in the airplane, including incipient inverted spins, and inverted and upright flat spins. The accident pilot and passenger had previously flown aerobatic airplanes together. The passenger had competed in aerobatic airplanes in the past. He did not have any experience in the accident airplane. The airplane flight manual recommends an altitude of 1,500 meters (4,922 feet) prior to initiating spins. (-23) a/c observed by witness to enter a spin from an altitude of approx 3,000' AGL. A/c observed to complete 5 to 7 rotations to the right and impact trees - a/c came to rest inverted with both occupants sustaining fatal injuries - refer to attachments.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED ENROUTE, THE TWO POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ. (.4) THE PILOT AND A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER, FLYING A RUSSIAN BUILT UNLIMITED CLASS AEROBATIC AIRPLANE, JOINED A SECOND AEROBATIC AIRPLANE FOR A PLANNED PHOTO FLIGHT. THE TWO AIRPLANES FLEW ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER WHILE THE PASSENGERS TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS. THE PHOTO FLIGHT ALTITUDES VARIED BETWEEN 2,600 AND 3,400 FEET MSL. AFTER THE PHOTO SESSION WAS COMPLETED, THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE STATED HE WAS GOING TO DEMONSTRATE SOME AEROBATIC MANEUVERS TO HIS PASSENGER. DURING A TURN, THE PILOT OF THE SECOND AIRPLANE MOMENTARILY LOST SIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. WHEN HE REGAINED SIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE, HE ESTIMATED IT WAS BETWEEN 2,700 TO 3,000 FEET MSL, IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN INVERTED RIGHT SPIN. THE SPIN CONTINUED FOR BETWEEN 5 TO 7 TURNS UNTIL THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER AN EXPERIMENTAL/EXHIBITION AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. IT HAS LIGHT CONTROL FORCES, AND A ROLL RATE OF 340 DEGREES PER SECOND. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PILOT WAS AN ACTIVE U.S. AIR FORCE LT. GENERAL WITH EXTENSIVE MILITARY EXPERIENCE. HE HAD A CCRUED 16.6 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO HIS LOGBOOK, HE HAD PRACTICED SEVERAL AEROBATIC MANUEVERS IN THE AIRPLANE, INCLUDING INCIPIENT INVERTED SPINS, AND INVERTED AND UPRIGHT FLAT SPINS. THE ACCIDENT PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN AEROBATIC AIRPLANES TOGETHER. THE PASSENGER HAD COMPETED IN AEROBATIC AIRPLANES IN THE PAST. HE DID NOT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL RECOMMENDS AN ALTITUDE OF 1,500 METERS (4,922 FEET) PRIOR TO INITIATING SPINS. (-23) A/C OBSERVED BY WITNESS TO ENTER A SPIN FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX 3,000' AGL. A/C OBSERVED TO COMPLETE 5 TO 7 ROTATIONS TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACT TREES - A/C CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINING FATAL INJURIES - REFER TO ATTACHMENTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.