20061015023019A

(-23) A witness at airport observed aircraft perform fifth "touch and go" take-off and landing, with the aircraft pulling up into an immediate steep climb, turned right (instead of left as in the previous four), and did not hear the sound of the engine operating. The aircraft was observed descending in a steep, nose down attitude until it went from view behind a tree line. A second witness observed the aircraft in a low altitude, high speed approach to runway 24 and then observed the aircraft in a near vertical climb to approximately five hundred feet at the end of runway 24. The witness stated at that point the aircraft stopped climbing and began a left turn (yaw) from a 12 o'clock position, to a 9 o'clock position, then to a 6 o'clock position (as viewed by witness) with the nose then pointing straight down. At that point the aircraft went past his view behind a tree line. The aircraft impacted in a plowed field approximately 1/4 mile beyond the end of runway 24 and approximately 50 yards to the right of the runway centerline. The aircraft was in an upright position. The ground scarring showed evidence of the main landing gear and nose (spinner) of the aircraft impacting the field in an approximate wings level, steep nose down attitude. The leading edges of both wings were crushed along the length of the wing. The entire forward fuselage was also crushed from the impact.