Incident Overview
On the day of the accident, the pilot left his workplace early and at 1645 called fellow employees to announce his intention to perform a fly-by of their work building around 1700.
Witness Observations
Multiple witnesses reported that the airplane approached the building from the east, executing a very low, high-speed pass. After flying past the building, the airplane turned and made a second pass from west to east. During this second pass, the airplane was considerably lower than before.
As the airplane passed behind a line of trees, it reappeared in a climb with a bank angle of approximately 80 degrees. One witness noted that the right (lower) wing tip—the last couple of feet—remained obstructed by trees, and they could see the right wing tearing apart, starting well above the trees within the two feet near the fuselage. The same witness observed fuel spilling from the wing as the fuselage continued to rotate in a clockwise direction, described as a cartwheel. The airplane subsequently impacted a railroad trestle.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the airframe, engine, and maintenance logbooks revealed no evidence of any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. No probable cause was determined based on the available information.