WPR15LA150

A witness reported that he saw the airplane climb and then abruptly descend straight down and that it sounded as if the engine was at full power. Radar data indicated that the airplane departed the airport climbing to the east. While still climbing, the airplane made an approximate 360-degree turn. When the airplane reached about 5,500 ft, it descended in a straight line until it impacted the ground. While law enforcement officers were on scene, they received notification of a welfare check on the pilot because he had sent suicidal text messages to friends and family members earlier that morning. The autopsy report determined that the pilot's cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries and blunt force trauma with the manner of death being suicide.

The two-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 20608161, was manufactured in 2001. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-AC1A5, 300 horsepower engine, and equipped with a McCauley Model B3D36C432/80VSA-1 controllable pitch propeller. The airplane's most recent maintenance was an annual inspection that occurred on May 12, 2015. On April 18, 2015, about 0838 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 206H, N3535M, impacted terrain about six miles east of the Redding Municipal Airport (RDD), Redding, California. The commercial pilot (the sole occupant) was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee, and operated by McClelland Aviation doing business as Aperture Aviation under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from RDD at about 0830. A witness reported that he heard and saw the airplane climbing and gaining altitude when the airplane abruptly descended straight down at, what sounded like, full power. About 500 feet above the ground he heard the engine slowly decelerate before the airplane impacted an open field. The witness mentioned that he did not observe any evasive maneuvers prior to impact. Radar data revealed the airplane took off and proceeded to climb towards the east. About nine miles from the airport the airplane continued to climb and made an approximate 360 degree turn. Toward the end of the turn, the airplane reached about 5,500 feet. The airplane descended in a straight line until it impacted the ground. Law enforcement reported that, while they were on scene, they received notification of a welfare check on the pilot because he had sent suicidal text messages to various friends and family members earlier that morning. The Shasta County Coroner reported the pilot's cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries and blunt force trauma, with the manner of death being suicide. The Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute performed forensic toxicology on the specimens from the pilot with no evidence of tested drugs detected in the muscle. The test was positive for ethanol (24 mg/dL) detected in the muscle; it was unable to be determined if the ethanol was from ingestion or postmortem production. At 0753, the weather at RDD was reported as calm wind, 10 statute miles of visibility, clear skies, temperature 13 degrees C, dewpoint 8 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.02 inches of Mercury. The pilot, age 34, held a commercial pilot certificate, as well as a certified flight instructor certificate, for airplane single- and multi- engine land with an instrument rating. The pilot also held a first-class airman medical certificate issued October 14, 2014 with no limitations. During the pilot's most recent medical examination, he reported that he had 850 total flight hours, 350 of which occurred in theprevious six months. Given the nature of the accident the National Transportation Safety Board did not conduct an on scene examination. However, photographs provided by law enforcement as well as the Federal Aviation Administration revealed the airplane impacted in a nose low attitude and was heavily fragmented throughout. The engine was separated from the firewall and was heavily damaged. The camshaft from within the engine was found separated and was bent mid span. There was a heavy fuel odor around the wreckage.