What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 16, 2009, pilot todd e. eslick and a passenger flew N98AW, an experimental RV-8 aircraft, to a practice area about 2 miles west of Tea, SD. The pilot and passenger were practicing aerobatics. According to eye witnesses the pilot was going up vertical and spinning down. On the second time down the aircraft impacted the ground. The weather was VFR and no flight plan had been filed. The aircraft was destroyed and there were 2 fatalities. The pilot held a airline transport pilot certificate.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 16, 2009, PILOT TODD E. ESLICK AND A PASSENGER FLEW N98AW, AN EXPERIMENTAL RV-8 AIRCRAFT, TO A PRACTICE AREA ABOUT 2 MILES WEST OF TEA, SD. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE PRACTICING AEROBATICS. ACCORDING TO EYE WITNESSES THE PILOT WAS GOING UP VERTICAL AND SPINNING DOWN. ON THE SECOND TIME DOWN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE WEATHER WAS VFR AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THERE WERE 2 FATALITIES. THE PILOT HELD A AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.