LAX93LA366

The pilot was conducting a personal flight with a passenger. The passenger reported that as the flight neared the airport, the pilot complained of not feeling well, collapsed, and died. The passenger, who is not a pilot, was able to land the airplane. The airplane touched down and exited the runway at midfield. The airplane's nose gear separated when it collided with the parallel edge of the taxiway.

On September 23, 1993, at 0100 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 182H, N1982X, exited the right side of runway 21 and collided with the edge of the parallel taxiway at Pulliam Airport, Flagstaff, Arizona. The airplane was landed by the passenger as the certificated private pilot suffered a fatal heart attack while enroute to Flagstaff. Flagstaff was the intended destination of the visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage; the taxiway E exit sign was destroyed. The passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Kayenta Airport, Kayenta, Arizona, at 0010 hours.

In a written statement to the Flagstaff Police Department, the passenger reported that about 25 minutes into the flight the pilot told him he was not feeling well and considered going to the hospital once they arrived at Flagstaff. About 10 minutes later, the pilot began to convulse and passed out.

The passenger, who has had "a little flight training", continued the flight toward Flagstaff arriving about 15 minutes after the pilot passed out. The passenger was unable to contact the tower and was unsuccessful in landing the airplane on the first attempt. On the second attempt, the passenger landed the airplane. The airplane bounced three times and on the third touch down the nose gear collapsed. The airplane exited the runway and collided with a ditch located between the runway and taxiway.

After the airplane came to rest, the passenger shut off the engine and fuel and extricated the pilot from the airplane.

The airport manager reported that the airplane landed at midfield, bounced three times, and then exited the right side of the runway. The airplane's nose gear separated when it collided with the parallel edge of the taxiway.

Paramedics were immediately summoned to the scene. The paramedics reported that the pilot was without signs of life. Resuscitation was attempted, but without success.

The Coconino County Medical Examiner, Flagstaff, Arizona, conducted the post-mortem examination on the pilot. The pathologist findings were: "sudden cardiac death due to coronary arteriosclerosis.