The aircraft entered a fully developed spin to the left but, when recovery actions were commenced, the control column was not pushed far enough forward to un-stall the wing. The aircraft therefore remained in a spin until it struck the ground.
The pilot was newly rated for aerobatic flying, and it was likely that the spin recovery technique had not yet become a skill-based response that he could apply effectively even when surprised.
The accident highlighted how unexpectedly challenging it can be to recover from multiple-turn spins.