Incident Summary
An airplane collided with a 30-foot tall tree during low-altitude maneuvers over the pilot's sister's house. The impact occurred while the airplane was on a northerly heading, at a bank angle between 45 and 60 degrees. The tree was located at the southern end of a north-south oriented row of trees.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses reported that the airplane initially made one or two descending left turns. The bank angle increased significantly at an altitude of less than 100 feet above ground level, which led to an increased descent rate. The aircraft subsequently struck the tree.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-existing mechanical malfunction or failure. A post-mortem examination of the pilot conducted by a pathologist found no evidence of any medical condition that may have been causally related to the accident.
Background
A nephew of the pilot reported that the pilot had previously performed low-altitude turn maneuvers over the house on prior occasions, which culminated in pull-ups near ground level.