ERA25LA256

The uncertificated pilot was attempting to depart in the accident airplane. Surveillance video from the airport captured the accident sequence and showed the airplane in a steep right bank with the wings near vertical and descending. The airplane impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident body camera video from first responders showed a seat cushion strap wrapped around the control stick. A mechanic who worked at the airport reported that they used the seat cushion strap as an improvised gust lock, with this strap wrapped around the control stick, the stick would be held fully aft and to the right. Postaccident examination found no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology testing of blood that had been collected from the pilot at the hospital on the day of the accident at 1045. Methamphetamine was detected at 536 ng/mL and amphetamine was detected at 62 ng/mL. Alprazolam was detected at 31 ng/mL. In living people, methamphetamine blood concentrations of 20-50 ng/mL are typical with medicinal use, while methamphetamine blood concentrations over 200 ng/mL generally represent abuse. The pilot’s blood methamphetamine level indicates he likely had abused methamphetamine and was likely experiencing some impairing effects at the time of the accident. Methamphetamine use can severely impair piloting abilities, as the effects of use include poor judgment, risky behavior, and cognitive dysfunction. However, the specifics of these effects cannot be determined from a single measured level. In addition, alprazolam and the conditions for which it is typically prescribed have the potential to cause impairment.