Incident Overview
An airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during a landing approach. The aircraft was operating in a left-hand traffic pattern at the time.
Witness Observations
According to witnesses, the airplane was on a base leg for landing when the pilot reported that he was too close to land and would make a right turn to enter the final approach for the runway. During the right turn, the bank angle appeared to be approximately 90 degrees, as described by witnesses. The airplane subsequently struck the ground.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preexisting defects or malfunctions that would have contributed to the accident.
Pilot Background and Experience
The pilot's flight instructor stated that the pilot did not fly the airplane enough to maintain proficiency and had a tendency to perform steep turns in the traffic pattern. Logbook records indicated that the pilot had flown only 2 hours in the preceding 90 days and had flown just once in the preceding 8 months.