19990529006209A

1 Fatal when aircraft crashed in field under unknown circumstances at 281445Z/0945C (from .19) on may 29, 1999, at 0945 central daylight time (CDT), a champion 7ECA, N12028, operated by a private pilot, was destroyed when it departed controlled flight and subsequently impacted the terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. A flight plan was not on file. The pilot was fatally injured. The local flight originated from a private airstrip located approx. 3 miles northwest of Comstock, Wisconsin, at 0940 CDT. A witness heard the airplane take off from the pilot's private field, which was located approx. 1/2 mile south of the witness' home. The witness saw the airplane approach from the east and fly over his house. As the airplane flew over, the witness observed the airplane rocking its wings. The witness said that he waved back to the pilot. The witness lost sight of the airplane as it went over the trees. The witness said he then heard the airplane's engine "waiver as if he was rocking his wings, and then bang." The witness described the airplane as all being right there at the accident site. The airplane's wings were still attached and the tail was up in the air. The witness said that the airplane was flying low that day, "500 feet [above the ground] was optimistic to me." (-23) pilot took off from his private airstrip adjacent (e/w) grass strip at approx. 0935 CST. The pilot flew at a very low altitude around a neighbor's farm where his wife was visiting. He circled two or three times at a low altitude and rocked his wings. At these times he was approx. 60-75 AGL and flew out of sight behind a barn. The enigne noise ceased and the sound of the impact was heard as the a/c crashed a quarter of a mile to the south east. No corrective action is planned due to pilot being deceased.