[Chokinghazard]

Agreed, he knew he was in trouble, likely tried a maneuver to recover that wouldn't toss her from the wing, and as a result, the plane dramatically lost lift. It obviously caught her off guard as the impact soon popped her head open while the wreckage chopping her apart and fire burning her up likely left little to identify her by. Not that her being ready for the impact would have saved her. She was doomed regardless of how hard or soft the plane crashed.

[Twisted_Claim23]

Oh man, this is just too damn sad. Top of the world, just as someone else said, now she's six feet under. And those photos of her head exploding on impact? Hot damn. Haunting.

[Twisted_Claim23]

Sorry for the double post, but I thought I'd throw this out there:

Coming from a soon-to-be avionics major in college and a private pilot, that crash looked like a classic case of over-correction. I'd have to say the pilot momentarily forgot that pitch is inverted while the aircraft is upside down. Basically, while upside down, he most likely realized he was too close to the ground, and attempted to pull up in an attempt to get back in the air. This sent him plummeting to the grass, and you can clearly see a split-second attempt at rolling the plane back into an upright position before he crashes. Just my two cents.

[hammersquash]

Originally Posted by stevew3765 ↗

Though all anyone can do is hypothesize. My opinion is that of the earlier comments. The pilot had a significant medical/or plane malfunction event. This is based on the pilots experience at this type of maneuver....

I have to agree with you.

I am not sure about the states but in Canada in order to practice aerobatics you must be holding a valid Commercial Pilots license. Medicals to remain current are every 6 months and an ECG is required once a year after 55.
The Boeing Stearman is an incredibly rugged plane that won't break a sweat with these maneuvers. In order to roll out of so close to the ground from inverted flight he would have had to apply forward stick (down elevator and chose a way to roll) It appears quite the opposite happened.
Control rod separation, cable frayed, aneurism, massive heart attack.... Who knows. Tragic accident none the less.

[stevew3765]

Originally Posted by Twisted_Claim23 ↗

Sorry for the double post, but I thought I'd throw this out there:

Coming from a soon-to-be avionics major in college and a private pilot, that crash looked like a classic case of over-correction. I'd have to say the pilot momentarily forgot that pitch is inverted while the aircraft is upside down. Basically, while upside down, he most likely realized he was too close to the ground, and attempted to pull up in an attempt to get back in the air. This sent him plummeting to the grass, and you can clearly see a split-second attempt at rolling the plane back into an upright position before he crashes. Just my two cents.

Good hypothesis! However, I do not see any indication that the plane was trying to pitch up or down. IT rolled to the left. Are you going to over correct by rolling the plane? Or are you going to over correct by pitching up or down if the pilot did in fact feel as though he was to close to the ground?

[gimlet]

Originally Posted by Twisted_Claim23 ↗

Top of the world, just as someone else said, now she's six feet under.

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in most everything I see Not a cloud in the sky
Got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream



Everything I want the world to be
Is now coming true especially for me
And the reason is clear
It's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen



I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

[Shylock]

Wow She was hot

[The Dark]

Originally Posted by Shylock ↗

Wow She was hot

That was caused by the fire.....

[Twisted_Claim23]

Originally Posted by stevew3765 ↗

Good hypothesis! However, I do not see any indication that the plane was trying to pitch up or down. IT rolled to the left. Are you going to over correct by rolling the plane? Or are you going to over correct by pitching up or down if the pilot did in fact feel as though he was to close to the ground?

I went ahead and had another look at the video to be sure, but I still feel as though my original post hits the nail on the head - not to sound conceited - for a few reasons:
Starting at 0:34, you will see what I saw as pure pilot error; an attempt to pull up, when in reality pulling up while the aircraft is at that angle actually pitches you down.

The downward plummet was not characteristic of a stall or aircraft malfunction, as these types of situations - especially stalling - are accompanied with the aircraft jittering or "shaking" before the downward nose pitch. The stalling motion is also a bit more of a fall than an angular dive as well. This does not seem to be the case.

All in all, I can see no other probable cause other than the pilot's mistake. In such an adrenaline-fueled moment, I find it perfectly plausible that he momentarily forgot his basics - as can happen to all of us in plenty of similar situations - and attempted to bring the aircraft up and to the left, only to send it down. Naturally to get the aircraft away from the ground, he would've had to push the stick forward and to the left.

[fishbone]

Originally Posted by Twisted_Claim23 ↗

I went ahead and had another look at the video to be sure, but I still feel as though my original post hits the nail on the head - not to sound conceited - for a few reasons:
Starting at 0:34, you will see what I saw as pure pilot error; an attempt to pull up, when in reality pulling up while the aircraft is at that angle actually pitches you down.

The downward plummet was not characteristic of a stall or aircraft malfunction, as these types of situations - especially stalling - are accompanied with the aircraft jittering or "shaking" before the downward nose pitch. The stalling motion is also a bit more of a fall than an angular dive as well. This does not seem to be the case.

All in all, I can see no other probable cause other than the pilot's mistake. In such an adrenaline-fueled moment, I find it perfectly plausible that he momentarily forgot his basics - as can happen to all of us in plenty of similar situations - and attempted to bring the aircraft up and to the left, only to send it down. Naturally to get the aircraft away from the ground, he would've had to push the stick forward and to the left.

I agree that this could definitely be a possibility. I also read in another thread the hypothesis that the pilot realized he was way too low and was going to crash, and also that he was headed toward the crowd. At that point, he decided to screw it into the ground to reduce fatalities on the ground. There was a definite sudden pitch change that says nothing about a stall to me. Both theories make sense, I think.

It's nice to see somebody else that knows what they're talking about in an aviation related thread.