N301NL

On April 12, 1998, at 1745 central daylight time, an Extra Flugzeugbau EA-300, N301NL, operated by Northern Lights Aerobatic Team, sustained substantial damage. A witness reported that the pilot was practicing aerobatic maneuvers when he lost control of the aircraft. The pilot attempted to regain control but the tail impacted the terrain in a wings level attitude. The pilot received serious injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight had departed Palwaukee Airport, Wheeling, Illinois, as a flight of two, and had flown to a private grass airstrip near Chenoa, Illinois. The first airplane landed and the accident airplane continued to practice aerobatic manuevers. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot of the first airplane reported that she saw the accident airplane maneuvering prior to impact. She reported that the airplane was "kicking around for the turn-around for a knife-edge spin (identical entry as a hammerhead maneuver). Everything looked normal." The witness reported the airplane was recovering from this maneuver and initiated a 1/4 roll (down) to the left. The witness reported that, "The plane got lower and lower, closer to the ground. I could see that there was a last minute positive pitch change. I saw him impact the ground flat."

The witness reported that the pilot was found conscious. The witness reported, "He was aware of what had happened to him. He explained [to] me on the spot that he G-locked (gray-out) during the pullout of the maneuver (what explains why he was forced to relax the back stick pressure-to prevent a pass-out), and was asking if he cleared the power (or phone?) lines (what explains the last second pitch change)."

The pilot reported a lack of food and water on the day of the accident, in addition to fatigue, contributed to the accident.