Incident Overview
A vintage aerobatic biplane was involved in an accident while performing a low pass over an airport. Following the low pass, the pilot initiated a stall turn—a maneuver designed to reverse the aircraft's direction. During the climb phase of the stall turn, the airplane did not achieve the required altitude for a safe recovery. The pilot attributed this to the extra weight of the passenger aboard.
Sequence of Events
As the aircraft began its descent and the pilot attempted to recover from the maneuver, the right wing impacted a tree. Subsequently, the airplane struck the ground and came to rest in an inverted position.
Aircraft Damage
A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to several components of the aircraft. Specifically, the upper and lower wings, the fuselage, and the vertical stabilizer were significantly affected. The pilot reported that no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane had occurred that would have precluded normal operation.