The pilot lived alone on his property and was last seen on 29 April when he indicated to a friend that he planned to fly his aircraft the following day if conditions were suitable. He had not flown the aircraft before, but was believed to have made taxy runs and short hops during the previous weeks. Two days later the pilot's brother reported that he was missing and that the aircraft was not at the property. The wreckage was located the following afternoon by a search aircraft. An inspection of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft had struck the ground inverted, at a low forward speed, and that the engine was not developing power at the time of impact. No fault was subsequently found with the engine, and it was considered that it had probably stopped shortly before impact, under negative "g" conditions. The pilot was inexperienced, and the particular aircraft was known to be difficult to control in pitch. It was likely that the pilot experienced handling problems which he was unable to correct before the final loss of control.
