CEN21FA263

The pilot departed on a night cross-country flight. While on approach to the destination airport, the airplane impacted trees and terrain and came to rest about 550 ft from the runway threshold. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that would have preclude normal airplane operation. The switches for the airplane’s landing light and rotating beacon were both found in the OFF position. Autopsy revealed that the pilot had 85% stenosis of one of his coronary arteries, which placed him at an increased risk for a sudden cardiac event; however, there was no evidence to suggest that occurred and based on the circumstances of this accident, it is unlikely that the pilot’s cardiovascular condition was a factor in the accident. Toxicological testing identified the antidepressant sertraline and its metabolite desmethysertraline in the pilot’s heart blood and urine. While the levels detected were above therapeutic levels, this medication can undergo postmortem redistribution. Sertraline is one of the four medications the Federal Aviation Administration will consider for treatment of depression. Special issuance is usually issued after 6 months of treatment when the applicant is clinically stable. It is unknown how long the pilot was taking sertraline and whether he was taking it for depression or some other condition. However, after a few weeks of use, sertraline does not impact psychomotor performance. Given the circumstances of this accident, it is unlikely that effects from the pilot’s use of sertraline were factors in the accident.

The airplane’s maintenance logs were not located. A mechanic who completed the most recent annual inspection stated that he completed an “extensive” annual inspection of the airplane in July or August 2020. On June 13, 2021, about 2355 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32-260 airplane, N3258W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Madisonville, Texas. The private pilot was fatally injured, and five passengers received serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data, the accident flight departed from Port Isabel-Cameron Country Airport, Port Isabel, Texas, about 2121 and proceeded to Madisonville Municipal Airport (51R), Madisonville, Texas. The airplane impacted 50-ft-tall trees about 680 ft south of the approach end of runway 36 at 51R. The airplane came to rest about 550 ft south of the approach end of the runway. At the time of his most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical examination, the pilot reported taking no medications and no medical conditions. According to the autopsy, the pilot died as a result of blunt force injuries and the manner of death was accident. Other than an approximate 85% narrowing of his left anterior descending coronary artery, no other significant natural disease was identified. Toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified the antidepressant sertraline at 1,006 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) and its metabolite, desmethysertraline, in the pilot’s heart blood at 1,533 ng/mL; both were also detected in his urine. The non-impairing medications salicylic acid and atorvastatin were also detected. A pilot logbook was found in the wreckage, and its two most recent entries were dated October 10, 2018, and November 8, with no year specified. The pilot’s recency of experience and the date of his most recent flight review could not be determined. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings due to impact with trees and terrain. The propeller displayed S-bending consistent with the engine producing power at the time of impact. The trees along the wreckage path exhibited slash marks consistent with propeller strikes. The wing flaps were fully extended. Flight control continuity was confirmed. There were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s rotating beacon and landing light switches were in the OFF position. The landing light filament did not exhibit stretching.