What happened
During an aerial demonstration near Biggleswade, a solo pilot was performing maneuvers intended for an airshow at Audley End. While executing the fourth turn of the display, the pilot performed a wider arc than the preceding turns. As the aircraft leveled off on a westerly heading, the engine RPM on both fixed-pitch propellers was decreased to near idle levels.
Following this reduction in power, the aircraft maintained straight and level flight with flaps extended, but began to adopt a progressively higher nose-up attitude. As the airspeed decreased, the aircraft rolled toward the starboard side. At an altitude estimated between 400 and 500 feet, the aircraft entered a right-hand spin. The flight ended when the aircraft struck the ground approximately 300 meters north of the display axis, behind a treeline that had hidden the impact from the view of spectators. The pilot was killed in the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating at low airspeed during the onset of the spin.
- The reduction of engine power to near idle contributed to the loss of airspeed and subsequent loss of control.