Incident Overview
A pilot, a former astronaut employed by NASA, was practicing his routine for an air show scheduled later the same day. According to a witness, the aircraft approached the airport from the west at a low altitude and slow speed, as if preparing to land. It was then maneuvered into an inverted attitude over Runway 8 at an altitude between 50 and 100 feet above ground level (AGL).
Sequence of Events
The aircraft remained inverted for a short period before being rolled back to an upright position. As it rolled upright, the aircraft angled to the right side of the runway, descended, and crashed on a heading of approximately 140 degrees. The witness reported that the aircraft seemed to "slip" sideways as it rolled to the upright position just before the crash.
Post-Crash Fire and Aircraft Condition
After impact, a fire erupted, and the aircraft was destroyed. An examination of the wreckage found no evidence of any pre-impact part failure or malfunction of the aircraft.
Pilot Background
The pilot was a former astronaut who had visited with a prominent AT-6 pilot and had expressed special interest in that pilot's routine involving inverted flight. The AT-6 pilot had provided information but advised the astronaut against performing rolls in the AT-6 at low altitude.