DEN93FA075

Witnesses reported the pilot made several low passes over their rural homes. The pilot's father-in-law then saw the airplane flying south along the highway in an inverted attitude and at low altitude. He said the pilot attempted an 'outside recovery' but instead of levelling off, the airplane continued descending until ground impact. Construction on the airplane had recently been completed. At the accident site the recording tachometer read 27:10 hours.

History of flight

On July 8, 1993, at approximately 0915 central daylight time, a Wiley Pitts S-1-E, N70BW, impacted terrain while maneuvering approximately five miles northeast of Walters, Oklahoma. The pilot was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight.

Witnesses, including the pilot's father-in-law, reported the airplane made several low passes over their farm. The father-in-law said he observed the airplane flying south along the highway in an inverted attitude and at low altitude; he further reported that the pilot attempted an "outside recovery." A neighbor said he saw the airplane roll several times, pull up, then descend straight down.

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane impacted a soft plowed field. The rear portion of the fuselage, just behind the cockpit, was bent and was aligned on a magnetic heading of 060 degrees. A crush line on the nose of the airplane was measured at between 15 and 20 degrees. The nose was headed 035; the tail was headed 060.

According to rescuers, the fuel tank, located in the center section of the top wing, was ruptured and leaking fuel on the ground when they arrived on the scene and during body removal. The right wing was slightly ahead of the left wing. Flight control continuity was established with the exception of the elevator trim tab cable, which had been cut by rescuers.

Medical and pathological information

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office. There was no evidence of any physiological event that could have been causal to the accident.

Toxicology protocol was negative for the presence of ethanol, carbon monoxide, cyanide, or drugs.

Additional information

The first flight occurred on February 12, 1993. At the accident site, the recording tachometer indicated 27:10 total hours. According to the pilot's wife, this was the only aerobatic airplane her husband had flown.