LANCASTER, OH, USA
N52LA
ALLEN PITTS SPECIAL S-1
N52LA WAS BEING FLOWN IN A 2-ACFT ACROBATIC DEMONSTRATION (DEMO). AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLTS BGN THE DEMO BY PASSING EACH OTHER IN A LOW ALT KNIFE EDGE MANEUVER OVER THE RWY. AFTER PASSING, THEY ROLLED INVERTED, UNTIL NEAR THE ENDS OF THE RWY, THEN ROLLED UPRIGHT & BGN A STEEP CLIMB. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT WHEN N52LA WAS IN THE CLIMB, HE 'HEARD SOME MISSING FROM THE ENGINE.' RPRTDLY, THE ACFT THEN STALLED, ENTERED A VERTICAL DSCNT & BGN SPINNING. IT IMPACTED THE GND NR THE DEP END OF RWY 10. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. THE PLT POSSESSED A VALID STATEMENT OF ACROBATIC COMPETENCY & HAD PERFORMED IN A NUMBER OF AIRSHOWS IN THE PREVIOUS 3 YRS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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