What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N166MA was destroyed following a loss of control while maneuvering at a low altitude. The aircraft was reported to have made multiple low passes at 10'-15' above the treetops overhead the campground. This was followed by mulitiple aerobatic maneuvers, described as resembling "wing overs" and low passed over the lake in which witnesses stated that the airplane appeared to dip its main tires into the water several times as it flew in a southerly direction. The airplane then turned around and flew "very low" back to the north before pulling nearly straight-up. The airplane ascended for a short time before the nose dropped and the airplane started descending and spinning in a clockwise direction. The airplane completed about three and a half turns before it impacted the water. The witnesses further reported that the aircraft sounded as though it was producing power before the airplane impacted the water.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N166MA WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE MADE MULTIPLE LOW PASSES AT 10'-15' ABOVE THE TREETOPS OVERHEAD THE CAMPGROUND. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY MULITIPLE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS, DESCRIBED AS RESEMBLING "WING OVERS" AND LOW PASSED OVER THE LAKE IN WHICH WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO DIP ITS MAIN TIRES INTO THE WATER SEVERAL TIMES AS IT FLEW IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. THE AIRPLANE THEN TURNED AROUND AND FLEW "VERY LOW" BACK TO THE NORTH BEFORE PULLING NEARLY STRAIGHT-UP. THE AIRPLANE ASCENDED FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED DESCENDING AND SPINNING IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. THE AIRPLANE COMPLETED ABOUT THREE AND A HALF TURNS BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE WATER. THE WITNESSES FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS PRODUCING POWER BEFORE THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.