FTW02FA211 · North American AT-6A

One witness reported the airplane flew over between 500-700 feet agl, "wagged his wings" and departed the area; a second witness reported the airplane perform a barrel roll type maneuver 1-2 times, and then departed the area. Another witness observed the airplane flying at an estimated 300 feet agl. A witness, who was on an oil drilling rig located 0.4 nautical miles from the accident site, observed the airplane in level flight (approximately 500 feet agl) fly by the rig, climb, turn left in a 30 degree bank, and departed the area. Witnesses reported the prevailing winds were 5 to 10 miles per hour, skies clear with a few clouds, and the temperature approximately 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The airplane impacted a rocky creek bed bordered on one side by a 74-foot ravine. Mesquite trees, brush, grasses, and cactus, were found in the vicinity of the main wreckage and the surrounding ranch land. Deformation of the airplane and the physical evidence at the accident site was consistent with a near vertical left wing low attitude at the time of the accident. Impact forces destroyed the airplane. No evidence of an in-flight mechanical and/or flight control malfunction was found that would have rendered the airplane uncontrollable prior to the impact. In the previous 6 months, the 3,861.1-hour private pilot logged 39.5 hours (3.8 in the last 30 days) in the accident aircraft.

Verbatim NTSB analysis and probable cause from the NTSB dataset