20000829014379A

(-23) On 8/29/00, 1722 hours PDT, a Cessna 150L, N11919, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain while manuevering near Laton, CA. The private pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The local area personal flight departed from a private strip on the pilot's farm in hanford, CA. At an unknown time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. Witnesses reported the pilot flew over their home at an estimated 300 feet AGL and was completing 360 degree turns. The airplane was continuing to make a left turn, and momentarily leveled out, then banked left and began to turn left again. The bank angle continued to rapidly increase and the witnesses observed the top of the airplanes wings. They simultaneously observed a rapid movement of the nose to a nearly vertical nose down position as the bank angle increased. The airplane came to rest in a walnut grove less than 0.1 mile from the witnesses home. (.4) the airplane spiraled into a walnut grove near a friend's home. The pilot frequently flew over his friend's home at low altitude. As he flew by t he north side of the home in a left turn at an estimated 300 feet AGL, he opened the window and said, "hello." His friend on the ground invited him to come visit after his flight and he responded, "we will." The airplane continued the left turn, momentarily leveled out, then banked left and began to turn left again. By this point the airplane had completed 270 degrees of turn. This turn initially appeared to be like the others the witnesses previously observed; however, this time the bank angle continued to rapidly increase so that they observed the tops of the airplane's wings. They observed a simultaneous rapid movement of the nose to a nearly vertical nose down position. Investigators discovered no discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane or engine.