ERA20LA329

While flying to his private, home airfield, the pilot overflew at low altitude an area of land owned by his family. Witnesses described the first “pass” over a nearby pond as “low” at an estimated 60 ft above the ground. One witness described the low-altitude flight as being a typical “fly by” maneuver that the pilot would perform upon returning home. After the first pass, the pilot performed a left circling turn and another pass over the pond. During the second pass, a witness reported that the altitude was about 50 ft above the ground, and as the airplane flew between groups of trees, the right wing was pointed “almost straight up in the air” before the airplane descended and impacted the ground. The description of the right wing pointing upward is consistent with an extreme left roll attitude and is likely indicative of a loss of control that was possibly a result of intentional maneuvering as part of the “fly-by” or due to a sudden maneuver to avoid an obstacle (such as trees). A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Water and impact damage prevented a thorough examination of the engine; however, a witnesses described the engine noise as “steady” prior to impact. That, along with the twisting damage exhibited by both propeller blades, suggest that the engine was likely operating at the time of the accident. The pilot’s toxicological test results were positive for antidepressant and allergy medications. The antidepressant was not detected in blood and therefore was likely below therapeutic levels. While there were no medical records available to evaluate the severity of the pilot’s depression and when he was diagnosed, by the accounts provided, the pilot was not exhibiting any unusual behavior; while the low fly-by homecoming was not a safe procedure, it was the pilot’s usual habit when returning to his home airfield. The concentration of allergy medication was not listed in the test results, suggesting that the levels were below therapeutic levels. While the pilot appears to have taken two medications that can have impairing effects and may have had a psychological condition that could decrease performance, given the circumstances of this accident and the concentrations of the medications detected, it is unlikely that effects from the pilot’s use of citalopram and cetirizine or his depression were factors in the accident.

On September 22, 2020, at 1712 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182 airplane, N2601Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Lincolnton, Georgia. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tracking data revealed that the pilot departed Cherokee County Regional Airport (CNI), Canton, Georgia, about 1530. He flew to Barrow County Regional Airport (WDR) Winder, Georgia, and remained there for about 30 minutes. He then departed for his home airport, a private field in Lincolnton, Georgia, at 1638. About 1710, the airplane approached a field and pond located on land owned by the pilot’s family, about 3 miles south of the private airport. A witness who was mowing the grass surrounding the pond reported that the airplane flew “low” toward him and then over the pond in the pilot’s “standard ‘I’m home’ fly by.” Another witness, who was also mowing around the pond, reported that the airplane “buzzed the pond” at an altitude less than 60 ft above the ground. The airplane then “pulled up to normal flying altitude” and circled in a left turn before it approached the pond a second time. The witness estimated that, as the airplane approached the pond, its altitude was less than 50 ft above the ground. At one point, the airplane flew between two groups of trees with its right wing pointing “almost straight up in the air.” The airplane impacted the ground at the edge of the pond, and briefly became airborne again before it impacted the water and came to rest partially submerged. The second witness did not observe the impact due to trees obstructing his view; however, he reported that the sound of the engine was “steady” until he heard a “thump” followed by a “shoosh,” which he surmised was the impact with the ground and then the water. The FAA tracking data revealed that the airplane approached the area of the pond from the west at a recorded pressure altitude of 500 ft (the field elevation in the area varied from 400 to 500 ft above mean sea level). After passing the pond, the airplane turned left about 270° before the recorded data ended when the airplane was about 0.1 nautical mile northwest of the pond. During the first half of the turn, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 1,000 ft and then descended to 500 ft at the last data point. Examination of the accident site by two FAA inspectors revealed that the airplane sustained severe impact and crush damage forward of the empennage. Both wings were separated from the fuselage and sustained leading edge damage. The engine remained attached to the fuselage. The propeller assembly (both blades and hub) was separated from the flange. One propeller blade was twisted and bent about mid-span, the other blade was slightly bent near the root and slightly twisted near the tip. A follow-up examination of the wreckage revealed that the flaps were retracted,and the elevator trim tab was found deflected about 5° trailing edge up (airplane nose down). Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the control surfaces through cable separations that were consistent with either cuts made by recovery personnel or tension overload. The engine was impact-damaged, and the starter, magnetos, intake, and exhaust components were all separated from the engine and missing. Rust was found inside the cylinders, which precluded manual rotation of the engine crankshaft. FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory toxicology testing detected the antidepressant citalopram in the pilot’s liver tissue and its active metabolite, n-desmethylcitalopram, in his cavity blood and liver tissue. Although citalopram carries a warning that its use may impair mental or physical ability for performing hazardous tasks, it is an FAA-approved antidepressant medication with a special issuance medical certificate. The allergy medication cetirizine was detected in the pilot’s cavity blood and liver tissue but was not quantified. Certirizine can have sedating effects, and the FAA provides guidance on wait times before flying after taking this medication. The nonimpairing gastroesophageal reflux medicine pantoprazole (commonly marketed as Protonix) was detected in his cavity blood.