Factual Narrative
An aircraft was loaded in excess of its maximum gross weight and with its center of gravity (CG) outside the rear envelope limit. The pilot-in-command (PIC) and a reporter proceeded to the site of an automobile accident. Evidence indicates that the reporter, who was currently receiving dual instruction and held an expired student pilot certificate, was flying the aircraft at the time of the occurrence.
During the flight, the aircraft violated company minimum altitude limits by descending to approximately 800 feet above ground level (AGL). The pilot then initiated a series of steep turns at slow airspeed. Statements from other pilots established that the reporter liked to cross-control the aircraft in order to have a better view of the ground.
Ground witnesses observed the aircraft perform an abrupt maneuver before it entered a spin and impacted the ground.
Operational Circumstances
The aircraft was operated under the direction of the PIC, who allowed the reporter—an individual without a valid student pilot certificate—to manipulate the controls. The flight involved a low-altitude transit over the accident scene, during which the aircraft was flown well below the company's minimum safe altitude. The steep turns performed at low airspeed and the reported tendency to cross-control the aircraft reduced the margins for recovery from any inadvertent stall or spin.
The aircraft's loading condition—overweight and with an aft CG—further degraded its performance and handling characteristics, increasing the likelihood of a stall at the slow speeds and steep bank angles employed.
Witness Observations
Multiple ground witnesses reported seeing the aircraft make a sharp or abrupt maneuver, followed by a rapid descent in a spinning motion until it struck the ground. No further details regarding the witness accounts are available from the source material.