What happened
The pilot was engaged in banner towing operations over the airfield. During one pass, the aircraft flew at a very low altitude in an attempt to retrieve an advertising banner that had been dropped or missed. To execute this maneuver, the pilot initiated a dive from an altitude of approximately 300 feet. The angle of descent was described as shallow.
The pilot failed to successfully pick up the banner. In response to the missed pickup, the pilot immediately climbed away in a steep ascent. During this climb, the aircraft entered a hammerhead stall configuration while turning to the left. Witnesses observed the aircraft then enter a vertical descent from the stalled position. The aircraft subsequently crashed into a nearby corn field.
The investigation
Investigation of the event focused on the flight dynamics and witness accounts of the maneuver. The sequence of events was reconstructed based on the pilot's attempt to retrieve the banner, the subsequent steep climb, and the resulting loss of control.