On September 14, 1992, a Champion 7KCAB (registration N561EK) operated by John S. Hendry was involved in an aviation accident near East Haddam, CT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER WITHOUT ADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane crashed while attempting a 360-degree roll at low altitude. The nose dropped after the aircraft became inverted, leading to impact with the runway.
Overview
A pilot performing a low-altitude pass over a runway experienced an accident while attempting an aerobatic maneuver. The flight was being videotaped by a friend of the pilot.
Sequence of Events
According to the investigation, the pilot initiated a 360-degree roll during the pass, which was conducted at approximately 100 feet above ground level. Review of the videotape revealed that the nose of the airplane remained high through the first 180 degrees of the roll. However, once the aircraft became inverted, the nose dropped and the airplane began to descend.
Impact
The airplane continued the roll but did not complete the full 360 degrees. After completing approximately 330 degrees of rotation, the aircraft impacted the runway in a 53-degree nose-down attitude.