What happened
On October 23, 2021, an American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB, registration N843AC, crashed in a residential area near Marengo, Wisconsin. The flight was being conducted under Part 91 regulations for personal use. The aircraft was occupied by the pilot and one passenger, both of whom sustained 2 fatal injuries.
Minutes before the accident, the pilot contacted a witness to inform her that he intended to fly over her residence. Witnesses observed the aircraft performing multiple low-altitude passes and steep turns. Video footage captured by a witness on the ground showed the aircraft performing a loop-like maneuver, while another witness observed the airplane flying between 20-400 feet above the ground.
Onboard video recorded by the passenger captured the final moments of the flight. The footage showed the aircraft performing a series of maneuvers, including a negative G maneuver followed by a rapid positive G maneuver. The aircraft then entered a steep left-wing-down bank of at least 80 degrees. During the final three seconds of the flight, the aircraft's stall warning horn was audible. The aircraft then entered a steep nose-down descent and impacted a residential yard.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that the right-wing leading edge struck the roof of a house before the fuselage hit the ground in a nose-down attitude. The impact caused the wings to separate from the upper fuselage. The examination of the engine, propeller, and flight control surfaces revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal operation.
An autopsy of the pilot determined the cause of death was blunt force injuries. While the medical examiner found evidence of acute myocarditis and a positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA swab, there was no evidence of impairment. Toxicology testing showed only the presence of caffeine and no evidence of alcohol or drugs.