Cassutt 111M | N5RR

DTSB: The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that the accident pilot did perform low level aerobatics and lacked the credentials, training, certification, and altitude necessary to accomplish aerobatics safely. The accident pilot was known to fly very short flights, often involving low passes and steep pull ups. Witness accounts say that the accident pilot made a high speed 100 AGL low pass to the grass runway 17 at Haskell airport, followed by a steep pullup, and then a level turn to the left downwind leg. The witness stated that while the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, it entered an aileron roll, and while upside down, the nose dipped towards the ground and the airplane began to lose altitude. The airplane continued through the roll, and it looked like the pilot had managed to level the wings of the airplane and was in the process of pulling out of the ensuing shallow dive but didn’t have enough altitude to do so. The airplane impacted the ground at a shallow angle, bounced and tumbled with components separating from the airplane on a 330 degree northwest heading. There was a visible attempt to pull up prior to impacting after completion of the roll. The impact ground scar was very long and perfectly straight, with a very clear first point of contact indicating both high speed and high rate of descent. The flight path and profile indicate a very late accelerated stall in an accident aircraft with known high wing loading and very small control surfaces. To date, no pilots license or medical info has been found in the FAA database for the accident pilot, a student pilot was certificate was issued on 5/19/2023.

NTSB: NONE

DTSB: The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft avoid impromptu low level aerobatics, especially at altitudes for which sufficient margin is not attained.

NTSB: NONE