Aircraft Seen Performing Aerobatic Maneuvers At Low Level Prior To Accident

On May 2, 2020, about 1600 Central daylight time, a Yakovlev YAK-52 airplane, N27YK, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Zelmer Memorial Airpark Inc (5K1), Palmyra, Illinois. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. A witness who was driving north of 5K1 observed the airplane descending towards the airport "way too fast to be landing." He lost sight of the airplane as it descended behind a tree line. A few moments later he saw the airplane climb into sight 200-300 ft above the ground (AGL) about 1.5 miles, do a full revolution and then roll and descend steeply into t