What happened
During an aerial display over a lake, an aircraft was seen performing multiple low-altitude passes over anchored seaplanes. During these maneuvers, the aircraft's smoke generators were active. The final pass was noted to be at an altitude of less than 50 feet. Following this pass, the aircraft entered an unusually steep climb. This was immediately followed by the aircraft pitching into a near-vertical, nose-down attitude, which resulted in the impact. Video footage from the event confirmed that both propellers were rotating at the time of the incident.
Findings
Records indicate that the pilot had recently completed specific training, having earned a multi-engine rating in a Beech 76 on March 6, 1990, and a type rating for the involved aircraft on March 28, 1990. The sequence of events suggests the aircraft transitioned from a low-level pass into an abnormally steep climb before the fatal descent.