CEN13FA012

The pilot’s loss of airplane control while maneuvering between areas of precipitation during a night cross-country flight.

The pilot departed on a night cross-country flight. When he did not reach his destination, the flight was reported missing and the wreckage was found the following day. Recorded radar data revealed that, after departure, the airplane climbed for about 15 minutes, maneuvered, then made a descending right turn between two areas of precipitation. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not have a current medical certificate. According to his personal medical records, he had a history of hypertension, insomnia, and inflammatory arthritis. About a month before the accident, the pilot reported symptoms from his arthritis, including increased joint pain and stiffness, to his personal physician and received treatment. Ten days later, the pilot called his physician's office for a refill of his narcotic pain medication. Toxicology testing of tissue samples found zolpidem and hydrocodone, both of which carry a warning of mental and/or physical impairment. However, the extent to which the pilot's medical conditions and his use of potentially impairing medications may have affected his judgment or psychomotor functioning cannot be determined from available evidence.

According to air traffic control (ATC) radar return data viewed at the air traffic control tower at POE, the airplane departed 2L0 and it entered the Class D airspace around AEX where it climbed for about 15 minutes to about 3,500 feet. The airplane then flew southwesterly at an altitude of about 2,300 feet and about 120 knots. The airplane's radar returns showed the airplane was flying on a westerly heading at approximately 2,100 feet and 120 knots about 2126. The airplane then descended to 1,800 feet and its groundspeed increased to 130 knots. The next radar data point showed the aircraft turning to the right, descending to 1,400 feet, and increasing speed to 140 knots. The last radar point showed the aircraft at 800 feet and 150 knots on a northeast heading. This descending turn was observed on the radar playback scope between two areas consistent with precipitation returns. The Vernon Parish Coroner's Office arranged to have an autopsy performed on the pilot by the Louisiana State University Health Science Center's Department of Pathology on October 16, 2012. The report listed the cause of death as blunt force deceleration type injuries. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute prepared a Final Forensic Toxicology Accident Report. The report, in part, showed that the toxicological sample sustained putrefaction and indicated: 79 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Muscle 67 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Liver N-Butanol detected in Muscle N-Propanol detected in Muscle ... 0.045 (ug/mL, ug/g) Dihydrocodeine detected in Gastric 1.38 (ug/ml, ug/g) Hydrocodone detected in Gastric 0.087 (ug/ml, ug/g) Hydrocodone detected in Lung Hydrocodone detected in Liver 0.857 (ug/mL, ug/g) Oxycodone detected in Gastric 0.103 (ug/mL, ug/g) Oxycodone detected in Lung Zolpidem detected in Liver Zolpidem detected in Muscle The FAA Forensic Toxicology's WebDrugs website description of Ethanol, in part, indicated that the postmortem production of ethanol takes place due to putrefaction processes. The FAA Forensic Toxicology's WebDrugs website description of Butanol, in part, indicated it was an aliphatic alcohol, which is produced as a byproduct of specimen putrefaction. The FAA Forensic Toxicology's WebDrugs website description of Propanol, in part, indicated it was an alcohol, which is produced postmortem. The FAA Forensic Toxicology's WebDrugs website description of Dihydrocodeine indicated it was a semisynthetic narcotic analgesic. The FAA Forensic Toxicology's WebDrugs website description of Hydrocodone indicated it was a semisynthetic narcotic analgesic prepared from codeine. It is widely used as an antitussive in cough syrups. The FAA Forensic Toxicology's WebDrugs website description of Oxycodone indicated it was a synthetic analgesic opiate used in the treatment of pain. The FAA Forensic Toxicology's WebDrugs website description of Zolpidem indicated it was AMBIEN, which is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia. The National Transportation Safety Board Chief Medical Officer reviewed information to include toxicology results, autopsy findings, the pilot's FAA blue ribbon medical file, the FAA's medical review of the case, and the pilot's personal medical records. According to the pilot's personal medical records, which were available from 2003 forward, he had a history of hypertension (high blood pressure), insomnia, and ankylosing spondylitis (a form of inflammatory arthritis). He was treated with a number of medications for these conditions. Two of the medications carried a warning that they "may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery)." The pilot's last visit to his personal physician was on September 14, 2012. At that time, he reported a flare of symptoms from his ankylosing spondylitis including increased joint pain and stiffness and was treated with a steroid taper. The effectiveness of that treatment was not documented in the medical record and on September 24, 2012, he called his physician's office for a refill of his narcotic pain medication. At 2153, the recorded weather at the Alexandria International Airport (AEX), near Alexandria, Louisiana, was: Wind 170 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 1 3/4 statute miles; present weather light rain, mist; few clouds at 2,800 feet, broken clouds 3,600 feet, overcast clouds 6,000 feet; temperature 23 degrees C; dew point 22 degrees C; altimeter 30.00 inches of mercury; remarks lightning distant southwest, thunderstorm ended 2103, rain began 2146. At 2109, the recorded weather at AEX was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; broken clouds 4,600 feet, overcast clouds 6,000 feet; temperature 23 degrees C; dew point 22 degrees C; altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury; remarks lightning distant east, thunderstorm ended 2103. At 2155, the recorded weather at the Polk Army Airfield (POE), near Fort Polk, Louisiana, was: Wind calm; present weather thunderstorms; few clouds 4,200 feet, scattered clouds 5,500 feet, scattered clouds 7,500 feet, temperature 22 degrees C; dew point 21 degrees C; altimeter 30.01 inches of mercury; remarks rain ended 2117. At 2055, the recorded weather at POE was: Wind 310 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 6 statute miles; present weather thunderstorms, rain, mist; scattered clouds 3,400 feet, broken clouds 4,900 feet, overcast clouds 8,000 feet; temperature 23 degrees C; dew point 22 degrees C; altimeter 30.01 inches of mercury; remarks thunderstorm ended 2042, began 2052, rain began 2036 N2126R was a 2003 Cessna model 172R airplane with serial number 17281176. The airplane was a high wing, all-metal, single-engine, four-place monoplane. It had a fixed tricycle landing gear configuration, and was powered by a fuel injected four-cylinder, Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine, bearing serial number L-29533-51A, and marked as producing 160-horsepower at 2,400 rpm and 180-horsepower at 2,700 rpm. An airplane logbook endorsement showed that the airplane's last annual inspection was completed on September 20, 2012, and that the airplane had accumulated 5,502.3 hours of total time. A flight log indicated that the airplane accumulated about 20.7 hours of time since the annual inspection. According to the operator, the airplane's fuel tanks were topped off prior to the accident flight. The 44-year-old pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating. He held a Third Class Medical Certificate dated May 11, 1998, with no limitations. The pilot reported on the application for that medical certificate that he had accumulated 150 hours of total flight time and 20 hours of flight time in the previous six months. According to a flight instructor's records, the pilot accumulated 7.3 hours of flight instruction in helicopters. The pilot's logbook showed he had recorded that he flew 188.4 hours of total flight time, which included 7.7 hours of multi-engine flight time, 18.6 hours of flight time in night conditions, and 3.8 hours of flight time in simulated instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane impacted a tree that was about 50 feet tall and a field about three nautical miles and about 75 degrees from the intersection of Louisiana Highway 8 and Hood Camp Road. A debris path started at that tree, which had broken upper branches. The broken branches were found near the base of the tree. The path continued on an observed heading of about 055 degrees and extended about 370 feet. The airplane was fragmented along this path with a section of wing skin coming to rest about 50 feet from the tree and the right wing tip coming to rest about 66 feet from the tree. The propeller separated from the engine and it was observed in a crater about 111 feet from the tree. The propeller exhibited chordwise abrasions. Ground scars were consistent with the airplane impacting the ground in a r