What happened
Observers at a local gun club witnessed an aircraft performing high-speed, low-altitude maneuvers over the facility's structures. The flight path initially moved from north to south, followed by a turn to execute a second pass traveling from east to west. During this second low-level pass, the aircraft struck a radio tower approximately 50 feet in height. The impact caused the right wing of the plane to shear off a 10-foot section of the tower's top.
Following the collision with the tower, the aircraft entered a right roll, reaching a nearly inverted orientation. The plane then crashed into trees and the ground roughly 700 feet southwest of where it first hit the tower. Witnesses noted that the aircraft maintained a straight-and-level flight attitude immediately prior to the impact with the radio tower.
Findings
An investigation into the aircraft's condition following the crash found no evidence of engine or airframe failure that would have prevented the plane from operating normally. Additionally, reports indicated that the pilot had previously been warned by club members several years prior regarding low-altitude flights over the property.