20020724018459A

(-23) On July 24, 2002 at about 1137 central daylight time, an experimental interavia E-3, N1535G, registered to the pilot Mr. David g. naber, impacted the ground nose first while doing aerobatic maneuvers near the blue mountain Beach in Walton county Florida. The aircraft was demolished and the pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from the Destin airport in Destin, Florida at approximately 1039. According to two witnesses that were interviewed by an investigator from the Walton county sheriff's office, stated that they observed an aircraft flying in the area of blue mountain Beach about 500 feet above the ground doing aerobatic stunts and loops. The wreckage rested approximately 90 degrees nose down and came to rest inverted in a hole it had made approximately three feet deep. The aircraft displayed uniform impact damage. Continuity was found on all flight control surfaces. The landing gear and tail wheel was in place, but the tail wheel had separated the fuselage. The carburetor had fuel in the fuel bowl. The nine cylinder radial engine had six of its cylinders partially separated from the case. The pilot was still fastened in the seat and his parachute was partially deployed. (.19) on July 24, 2002, about 1137 central daylight time, an experimental interavia E-3, N1535G, registered to a private individual, crashed near santa rosa Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight originated at approximately 1034, from the Destin-fort Walton Beach airport, Destin, Florida. According to a transcription of communications with eglin air force base radar approach control, the pilot first contacted clearance delivery at 1033:18, and advised that the flight was at the Destin-fort Walton Beach airport, and was departing runway 14. He also advised the controller that the flight would proceed to the east practice area and then would return to the departure airport, with negative transponder. The controller advised the pilot to contact departure and specified the frequency which was acknowledged by the pilot. At 1038:55, the pilot advised the south approach control (sa) controller th at the flight was 2 miles southeast of the east training area, that transmission was acknowledged by the controller. At 1134:34, the pilot advised the sa controller that the flight was planning on returning to the departure airport which was acknowledged by the controller. The sa controller then provided the pilot with an altimeter setting which he acknowledged. There were no further recorded transmissions from the pilot; the airplane was lost from radar at 1137. According to an investigator with the Walton county sheriff's office, two witnesses reported to him observing the airplane performing "loops and stunts." The witnesses also reported that the airplane did several loops then they observed a large piece separate from the airplane. The airplane was observed to continue in the loop but they did not see the airplane climb. They estimated that the piece that separated was of the approximate size of 1/2 of a car hood, and it spiraled to the ground. The witnesses did not witness the accident. Examination of the accident site by FAA personnel revealed that the airplane descended nearly vertical and came to rest inverted. There was no postcrash fire and there was no evidence of in-flight structural failure of the airplane. Additionally, the canopy of the airplane was not found at the accident site.