LAX00FA170

The owner/pilot of a vintage unregistered airplane, along with two other airplanes, had flown from one private airstrip to another for lunch. The airplane/owner pilot did not possess a medical certificate. They departed after lunch and the accident plane owner/pilot radioed one of the other pilots and stated he was 'going to check the stock.' The airplanes went their separate ways. Witnesses reported that the accident airplane was flying low, about 100 feet above ground level. Two of the witnesses stated that the plane suddenly spiraled downward counterclockwise; one stated that the plane was turning when the nose started to move up and then it just fell out of the sky. The private rated passenger pilot possessed a medical certificate and was rated for single engine land airplanes and reported about 85 flight hours. The toxicological report for the passenger rated pilot was positive for over-the-counter medications with impairment potential.

History of flight

On April 22, 2000, about 1400 hours Pacific daylight time, an Emigh Trojan A2, N8324H, operated by the pilot, was destroyed during a collision with terrain at Brentwood, California. The owner/pilot and the private pilot rated passenger both received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. According to information obtained by the Contra Costa Sheriff's office, the flight had been with two other aircraft that had flown to Merwins Ranch, a private airstrip, for lunch. The flight of three aircraft had departed Merwins Ranch at an undetermined time and was en route to Knightsen Field, also a private airstrip.

A witness working in his vineyard observed the airplane flying about 100 feet above the ground. He did not hear the engine running, but attributed it to the wind and the 500-foot or so distance from the plane. He said the plane was turning when the nose started to move up and then almost fell out of the sky from about 75 feet in the air.

Another witness observed the three aircraft flying northbound together. The accident plane started a left bank as though it was going to turn around. It suddenly spiraled downward 1 1/2 turns, counterclockwise, to ground impact.

The pilot of one of the other airplanes said the accident pilot radioed him that he was "going to check the stock," just prior to the accident. According to the witness, he interpreted this statement to mean the pilot was going to land at another nearby private airstrip.

Airplane owner left seat personnel information

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane owner pilot was denied a medical certificate on March 26, 1996. The denial was for failure to respond to numerous requests from the FAA Airman Medical Examiner to disclose the type of medication being used for the treatment of his high blood pressure. At his last examination he had reported a total flight time of 900 hours with 20 hours in the past 6 months.

Pilot rated passenger

According to FAA records, the pilot rated passenger held a private pilot certificate for single engine land airplanes. His last recorded third-class medical examination occurred on May 6, 1998, at which time he reported a total flight time of 85 hours with no hours in the last 6 months.

Aircraft information

According to FAA Aircraft Registry, the airplane was registered to Ernest Pierce on June 15, 1967. Mr. Pierce notified the FAA Aircraft Registration on November 1981 that he had sold the airplane 2 years prior (about 1979). There has been no registration activity since. The airplane has remained unregistered.

No maintenance records were recovered for the airplane.

Wreckage and impact information

The Safety Board did not respond to the accident site. The airplane crashed into an open field and was consumed by a postcrash fire. A postaccident examination of the engine was performed. The oil screen was free of metal and the spark plugs exhibited normal gap, wear, and burn signatures. The engine had gear train continuity and finger compression. The fuel valve was found to be open. The fuel gascolator was destroyed.

Medical and pathological information

On April 24, 2000, the Contra Costa County Medical Examiner performed autopsies on both pilots. During the course of the examination samples were obtained for toxicological analysis by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The toxicology report for the owner/pilot was negative for ethanol and drugs. The report for the pilot rated passenger was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol. The report indicated positive as follows:

0.119 (ugml), ug/g) IMIPRAMINE detected in blood 0.169 (ug/ml, ug/g) DESIPRAMINE detected in blood DILTIAZEM detected in blood IMIPRAMINE present in liver DESIPRAMINE present in liver DILTIAZEM present in liver 71.317(ug/ml, ug/g) ACETAMINOPHEN detected in urine 0.036 (ug/ml, ug/g) HYDROCODONE detected in urine IMIPRAMINE detected in urine DESIPRAMINE detected in urine DILTIAZEM detected in urine

Additional information

The Safety Board did not take possession of the wreckage.