NYC98GA113

The Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182 was conducting what was briefed as a 1 hour instrument proficiency flight. After 30 minutes the pilots cancelled the instrument flight rules clearance and the flight continued under visual flight rules. About 15 minutes later the airplane was observed to conduct a low approach to a private airport, and then initiated a climbing right turn. During the climb, the bank increased and the airplane descended into trees with no change in engine power. No evidence of a pre-existing mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The pilot-in-command held a second class medical certificate and had been treated for migraine headaches. No record of migraines was found in his medical certificate application. In addition, morphine was found in the pilot's blood at a level much higher than would be expected from a normal dose of the narcotic medication. The second pilot had a special issuance 3rd class medical certificate due to history of myocardial infarction and treatment with angioplasty, and diet controlled diabetes.

History of flight

On May 25, 1998, about 1650 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182R, N9885E, operated by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as CAP flight 1927, was destroyed when it struck trees during a go-around from a private airport in Middleborough, Massachusetts. The certificated commercial pilot (pilot-in-command), and airline transport pilot (second pilot) received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local training flight, which had departed from Taunton Airport (TAN), Taunton, Massachusetts, at 1604. The flight had departed on an instrument flight rules flight plan that was cancelled, about 1635. No flight plan was in effect at the time of the accident, for the instrument proficiency flight that was conducted under 14 CFR 91.

According to documents from the CAP, Mission Flight Plan/Briefing Form, the purpose of the flight was, "...Instrument Proficiency Flt...." The projected flight time was 1 hour. The pilot-in-command (PIC) signed the form.

A pilot who flew with the PIC in N9885E earlier in the day reported that he did not experience any problems with the airplane, and that it was topped with fuel after his flight. He also reported that he did not observe anything unusual about the PIC.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the second pilot accessed the Data User Access Terminal (DUAT), at 1432. He received both area METAR reports and terminal forecasts for area airports. At 1516, a person who used the identification "CAP flight 1927", received a weather briefing, and filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan.

At 1546, the pilots received their instrument clearance via telephone.

The flight departed and established radio contact with Cape TRACON. Prior to terminating the IFR portion of the flight, the pilots requested the IFR approach to Taunton. The request was approved and the airplane proceeded toward the Taunton non-directional beacon. Prior to completion of the approach, and as the airplane passed over the Taunton non-directional beacon at 1635, the IFR clearance was cancelled by the pilots and the transponder was reset to code 1200. No further communications were heard from N9885E.

Several witnesses next observed the airplane as it conducted a low approach and go-around over a private airport on the east side of Middleborough. According to them, the airplane initiated a climbing right turn that continued to increase in bank as the turn continued. The climb transitioned into a descent and the airplane impacted a wooded area with no change in engine noise. The initial climb was steep enough that a witness reported she could see the belly of the airplane.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at 41 degrees, 53.46 minutes north latitude and 70 degrees, 52.47 minutes west longitude.

Personnel information

Pilot-In-Command

The PIC held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate for airplane single engine land. According to the pilot's logbook records, he had a total of 2,215 hours, with 143 hours in make and model. He had flown 24 hours and 8 hours in the preceding 90 and 30 days respectively.

The PIC was issued a first class FAA airman medical certificate on May 21, 1997. At the request of the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge, the NTSB Medical Officer contacted the pilot's personal physician. The NTSB Medical officer wrote:

"[the pilot] had been a patient of his since 1988, when...[the doctor] began treating him for migraines. When [the doctor] first saw him,...[the pilot] had been routinely taking about 100 tablets of Tylenol #3 (acetaminophen and codeine) per month for his migraines. [the doctor]...switched...[the pilot] to Fiorinal (butalbital, aspirin, and caffeine). When he last saw [the pilot]...in 1997, [the doctor]...had been prescribing 20 tablets of Fiorinal about 2 to 3 times per year."

"[The NTSB Medical Officer], contacted by telephone the pharmacy which had dispensed the Fiorinal to...[the pilot]. The pharmacy confirmed that...[the pilot]had filled prescriptions for Fiorinal from [the doctor]...as described, but found no additional filled prescriptions with the exception of one prior prescription for Lodine (an anti-inflammatory medication) by [another doctor]...[the pilot's]... Aviation Medical Examiner."

Examination of the pilot application for medical certificate revealed that under question 18a, "Medical History, Frequent or severe headaches", the pilot had checked the NO block. A review of his two prior medical applications, dated May 1, 1996, and April 19, 1995, revealed the same answers. In addition, according to question 19, "Visits to Health Professionals Within Last 3 Years", the pilot only listed his visits to his aviation medical examiner. The visits to the doctor who prescribed the Fiorinal were not listed.

According to the FAA Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, dated September 1996:

"18.a. Frequent or severe headaches. A history of headaches without sequelae is not disqualifying. Some require only temporary disqualification during periods when the headaches are likely to occur or require treatment. Other types of headaches may preclude certification by the Examiner and require special evaluation and consideration (e.g., migraine and cluster headaches) (Also see Item 46 for a discussion of headaches)...."

"46...Pain in some conditions, may be acutely incapacitating. Chronic recurring headaches or pain syndromes often require medications for relief or prophylaxis, and in most instances, the use of such medications is disqualifying because they may interfere with the pilot's alertness and functioning. The Examiner may issue a medical certificate to an applicant with a long standing history of headaches if mild, seldom requiring more than simple analgesics, occur infrequently and are not incapacitating, or are not associated with neurological stigmata."

Second Pilot

The second pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate for multi-engine airplanes, and a commercial pilot certificate for single engine airplanes. He also held a flight instructor certificate for single and multi-engine airplanes, with an airplane instrument rating. According to the pilot's logbook, he had a total of 3,822 hours, with over 100 hours in make and model. He had flown 13 hours and 6 hours in the proceeding 90 and 30 days respectively.

The pilot had received a third class FAA airman medical certificate on December 3, 1996. The FAA subsequently requested addition medical information from the pilot, which was supplied. According to a letter issued on January 8, 1998, from the FAA Aeromedical Certification Division:

"...I have reviewed the information submitted by you in support of your request for an airman medical certificate. The medical evidence reveals a history of myocardial infraction and coronary artery disease that has required treatment (percutaneous transluminal coronary angloplasty) and diet controlled diabetes mellitus. You are ineligible for third-class medical certification under Section 67.11, (a) (1) (3), 67.211, (a) (c) and 67.311, (a) (c) and 67.113, 67.213, and 67.313 (b) of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). However, based on the complete review of the available medical evidence, I have determined that you may be granted authorization for special issuance of the enclosed third-class airman medical certificate under Section 67.401 of the FARs. This certificate supersedes any previously issued medical certificates...."

"This authorization expires on June 30, 1998."

Aircraft information

The airplane was a 1985 Cessna 182. It was maintained under a 100 hour/annual inspection program. The airplane had last been serviced prior to departure and departed with full fuel tanks.

Wreckage and impact informa