CEN16LA203

The commercial pilot telephoned his wife from his car and told her he was en route to his company's airplane hangar and was going to kill himself. She alerted her husband's employer, who then alerted the police department. The pilot took the airplane without the company's permission and then flew it into a 138-ft-tall silo. The autopsy report cited the manner of death as being "consistent with suicide."

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 1, 2016, about 2046 central daylight time, a Cessna 150K, N5679G, collided in-flight with a steel silo in Penwell, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by LM Air Patrol Service, Inc., Midland, Texas, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Odessa Airport-Schlemeyer Field (ODO), Odessa, Texas, about 2000. According to LM Air Patrol Service, the pilot was their employee and had been hired to provide aerial pipeline patrol services. He had flown the airplane on a pipeline patrol mission earlier that day and had secured the airplane about 1500. That evening, the pilot took the airplane without the company's permission. According to the Midland, Texas, Police Department's report, the pilot telephoned his wife and told her he was en route to the hangar and was going to kill himself. She alerted her husband's employer, who in turn alerted the Midland Police Department. The airplane was flying eastbound when it struck a 138-foot tall silo at the Cemex plant, located at 16501 W. Murphy St. in Penwell, Texas. PERSONNEL (CREW) INFORMATION The 45-yeard-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single/multiengine and instrument ratings. His last medical certificate, dated February 14, 2015, contained the following: "Medical certificate denied. Multiple alcohol-related events. Certificate surrendered by airman on 04/06/2016." According to LM Air Patrol Service, the pilot had logged a total of 5,359 flight hours, of which 450 hours were in the Cessna 150 and 2,600 hours were in multiengine aircraft. In the last 90 and 30 days, the pilot had logged about 300 and 100 hours respectively, and had logged 5 hours in the last 24 hours. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION N5679G, serial number 15071179, a model 150K, was manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company in 1969. According to LM Air Patrol Service, It was modified and powered by a Continental O-320-E2D engine, rated at 150 horsepower, driving a McCauley 2-blade, all-metal, fixed pitch propeller (model number 1C172/TM7458). The last annual inspection was accomplished on June 15, 2015, at an airframe total time of 3,987 hours. The engine had accrued 1,396 hours since major overhaul. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The following pertinent weather observation was recorded at Odessa Airport-Schlemeyer Field (ODO), Odessa, Texas, at 2053 CDT: Wind, 040ºat 18 knots; visibility, 10 miles; sky condition, few clouds at 6,500 feet, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet; temperature, 22º Celsius (C.),; dew point 15º; altimeter setting, 29.92 inches of mercury. Remarks: Lightning distant all quadrants. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION An autopsy was performed by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office. Accordingto its report, death was attributed to "massive blunt force trauma . . . consistent with history of light aircraft flown into structure (cement plant tower). No notable natural disease" was noted. The manner of death was "consistent with suicide." Toxicology screens were conducted by both FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office. According to CAMI's report, carbon monoxide and cyanide tests were not performed, but 133 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ethanol was detected in brain tissue and 131 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ethanol was detected in muscle tissue. In addition, 0.036 (ug/ml, ug/g) alprazolam was detected in liver tissue and lung tissue (no quantity given in the latter), 1.961 (ug/ml, ug/g) butalbital was detected in liver tissue, 0.933 (ug/ml, ug/g) butalbital was detected in lung tissue, and metoprolol detected in Lung and liver tissue (no quantities given). According to the Tarrant County's toxicology report, the pilot's muscle tissue was positive for ethanol (0.030 g/dL), benzodiazepine, and alprazolam (117 ng/mL) According to FAA's Forensic Toxicology Drug Information and FAA's Research Medical Officer, Alprazolam (Xanax®, Xanax® XR and Niravam®) is a prescription medication used in the treatment of panic and anxiety disorders. It is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. The side effects of alprazolam are typical of benzodiazepines and include sedation, impaired coordination and muscle relaxation, and may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery); therefore, "use could possibly represent a violation of 14 CFR Part 61.53(a), Part 91.17(a)(3) and/or Part 67." Butalbital (Esgic®, Fiorinal®, Fioricet®) is commonly used in combination with other drugs, such as acetaminophen and caffeine, to treat mild to moderate pain, migraines and tension headaches, and may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery). "This medication is disqualifying for aeromedical certification; therefore, use could possibly represent a violation of 14 CFR Part 61.53(a), Part 91.17(a)(3) and/or Part 67." Metoprolol (Lopressor®, Toprol® XL) is a prescription medication and beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, or 'beta blocker,' used in the treatment of hypertension and certain arrhythmias.