What happened
The aircraft was part of a flight of four participating in demonstration flybys at the airport. During the maneuver, the pilot reported flying slowly at an altitude of approximately 80 to 85 feet above ground level when the aircraft began to sink. At that moment, the pilot was positioned about 1,000 to 1,500 feet behind and to the right of a Cessna 175, roughly 20 feet below it.
To arrest the descent, the pilot applied full power. Although the aircraft touched down, it briefly became airborne again but failed to gain altitude. With the airport located behind him and airspeed decreasing, the pilot elected to land in a clear area ahead. The aircraft struck a wire fence and nosed over.
The investigation
Environmental conditions at the time of the incident included an outside air temperature of 91 degrees Fahrenheit and a field elevation of 1,045 feet. These factors contributed to high density altitude, which significantly degraded aircraft performance during low-altitude operations.