Accident Sequence
The airplane was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings when it experienced a loss of control, resulting in a stall/mush. The pilot reported that he "lost control" during a landing, added power to execute a go-around, and pulled up.
A witness pilot, who reported approximately 11,500 hours total flight time with about 250 hours in a Pitts S-2B, observed the accident. He stated that when he first saw the airplane, it was on a divergent course to the left side of runway 25R at an altitude of 5 feet. As the airplane reached the left edge of the runway, it pulled up, causing the nose to rise about 60 degrees. The airplane continued its upward path while rotating to the right. At approximately 25 feet, the nose passed through vertical; at the 180-degree point of rotation, the right wing struck the ground, followed by the nose.
The witness pilot further reported that the airplane landed with a left, quartering tailwind of an estimated 8 knots.
Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector examined the airplane. The brakes and tailwheel steering were found in working order. However, flight control continuity could not be established due to the post-impact fire.