Accident Overview
The aircraft, a single-engine tailwheel-equipped airplane, crashed into a lake after entering a spin. The airplane had accumulated a total of 405 hours since new. Flight control continuity was established, and no pre-impact anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine that could have prevented normal operation.
Witness Observations
Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering near a campground for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The 48-hour private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were seen "buzzing" the campground and performing wingover-type maneuvers at a low altitude. The airplane also dipped its main tires into the lake during several passes and at times appeared "to be almost hovering" into the wind.
Final Maneuvers and Impact
On the airplane's last pass near the campground, it climbed steeply to an altitude of approximately 500 to 700 feet above ground level before entering a right spin. The airplane spun approximately three turns and began a rapid descent in a nose-low attitude before impacting the surface of the lake. The wreckage came to rest about 20 feet below the lake's surface and approximately 500 feet east of the shore of the campground.
Post-Accident Investigation
Rescue personnel floated the wreckage to the lake's surface and pulled it on shore. The investigation found that the pilot and passenger tested positive for ethanol; however, according to the FAA's Forensic Toxicology Research Team Lead, it was not possible to discern what amount of ethanol came from consumption and what came from postmortem ethanol production.