What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft a Cessna 206 h piloted by zachary cain stickler departed Redding municipal airport at approximately 0830 am on 4/18/2015. Witnesses stated they saw the aircraft climb, level off for a brief moment and then proceed nose down and crash in a pasture approximately 7 miles east of the Redding municipal airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and the pilot was fatally injured.
A review of the debri field indicated the aircraft impacted the ground at a steep angle and a high rate of speed. This is supported by a witness statement.
A review of the aircraft maintenance records indicates the aircraft was well maintained and the aircraft inspections were current.
FAA records for the pilot indicate he was properly rated for the flight and that his medical examination was current. The pilot?s personal flight logbook was not found.
The aircraft was operated by aperture aviation. The aircraft was used for photomapping contracts. There are normally two pilots aboard the aircraft for a flight. On this flight, the PIC left the co-pilot behind and flew the aircraft by himself.
There are several strong indications from family and acquaintances that the pilot was suicidal prior to the flight. The police had been notified by his mother prior to the flight to do welfare check on her son at his residence due to the communications she had with him. The police did not make contact with him. This occurred shortly before the flight.
The coroner has ruled that the cause of death was exsanguination (blood loss), multiple traumatic injuries, blunt force trauma and plane versus fround. The coroner ruled the manner of death as suicide.
This accident is being closed as suicide without identifying any of the FAA nine factors associated with an event.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT A CESSNA 206 H PILOTED BY ZACHARY CAIN STICKLER DEPARTED REDDING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 AM ON 4/18/2015. WITNESSES STATED THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT CLIMB, LEVEL OFF FOR A BRIEF MOMENT AND THEN PROCEED NOSE DOWN AND CRASH IN A PASTURE APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES EAST OF THE REDDING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.
A REVIEW OF THE DEBRI FIELD INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A STEEP ANGLE AND A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY A WITNESS STATEMENT.
A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTIONS WERE CURRENT.
FAA RECORDS FOR THE PILOT INDICATE HE WAS PROPERLY RATED FOR THE FLIGHT AND THAT HIS MEDICAL EXAMINATION WAS CURRENT. THE PILOT?S PERSONAL FLIGHT LOGBOOK WAS NOT FOUND.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY APERTURE AVIATION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS USED FOR PHOTOMAPPING CONTRACTS. THERE ARE NORMALLY TWO PILOTS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT FOR A FLIGHT. ON THIS FLIGHT, THE PIC LEFT THE CO-PILOT BEHIND AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BY HIMSELF.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STRONG INDICATIONS FROM FAMILY AND ACQUAINTANCES THAT THE PILOT WAS SUICIDAL PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE POLICE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED BY HIS MOTHER PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT TO DO WELFARE CHECK ON HER SON AT HIS RESIDENCE DUE TO THE COMMUNICATIONS SHE HAD WITH HIM. THE POLICE DID NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH HIM. THIS OCCURRED SHORTLY BEFORE THE FLIGHT.
THE CORONER HAS RULED THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS EXSANGUINATION (BLOOD LOSS), MULTIPLE TRAUMATIC INJURIES, BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA AND PLANE VERSUS FROUND. THE CORONER RULED THE MANNER OF DEATH AS SUICIDE.
THIS ACCIDENT IS BEING CLOSED AS SUICIDE WITHOUT IDENTIFYING ANY OF THE FAA NINE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH AN EVENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.