Maneuver Sequence
The pilot was conducting aerobatic maneuvers at a small airport to promote a weekend airshow for a local TV news station. He performed a right and left pass, each consisting of a shallow descent, a pull-up from approximately 150 to 200 feet AGL, and a slow roll. On the third pass, he began from a straight and level attitude and rolled the aircraft inverted.
Loss of Control and Impact
At the 180-degree point of the roll, the aircraft yawed 30 degrees left of the runway centerline. As the roll continued past the 270-degree point, the aircraft side-slipped, lost altitude rapidly, and collided with a telephone pole, a guy wire, and a commercial building.
Pilot and Medical Information
The pilot, aged 74, expired approximately 31 hours after the accident. An autopsy and toxicology results were negative. The pilot had an inner ear infection in late 1983, later diagnosed by a doctor as 'benign positional paroxysmal vertigo,' and was reportedly symptomatic up to the time of the accident.
Aircraft Condition
No evidence of pre-impact mechanical failure or malfunction of the aircraft, engine, propeller, or flight controls was found.
Weather
Weather conditions were visual flight rules (VFR).