Peter R. wrote:
I discounted those reports the moment I heard them, since loss of control
could easily be mistaken for aerobatics to the untrained eye.

I remember once I was cruising down the freeway and saw a small plane
spiralling out of control at high speed, heading straight for the
ground. I would've screamed, but my breath was already sucked out of my
lungs. Then at the last second, the plane was able to pull up
miraculously. Then I realized that it was a stunt plane doing
acrobatics. But seriously, I wonder how many other drivers were
thinking the same thing and if it caused any accidents.

The moral of this story is that aerobatics could easily be mistaken for
loss of control to the untrained eye. =)