PIPER AIRCRAFT, INC. PA-31 — New Orleans, LA, 2011

PIPER AIRCRAFT, INC. PA-31 — New Orleans, LA

1 fatal High-time pilotNight

Date	November 30, 2011
Location	New Orleans, LA
Aircraft	PIPER AIRCRAFT, INC. PA-31
Purpose of flight	Ferry
Conditions	Night · Visual Meteorological Cond
Phase / occurrence	Prior to flight Miscellaneous/other
Pilot age	69
Pilot total time	9,500 hrs · High time
Time in type	10 hrs
Fatalities	1

Probable cause

The pilot's fatal cardiac event, which resulted in the inflight loss of control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's use of impairing medications and operation of the airplane with disqualifying medical conditions.

NTSB findings

Personnel issues-Psychological-Personality/attitude-Complacency-Pilot - C
Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action selection-Pilot - C
Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-Cardiovascular-Pilot - C
Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-Illicit drug-Pilot - C

What happened

The pilot became unresponsive and died during cruise flight and the airplane departed controlled flight. The passenger, who had no previous pilot experience, was able to gain control and maneuvered the airplane for a night crash landing at an airport. Witnesses at the airport observed the lights of the airplane moving erratically and saw it impact the runway, strike several obstructions, and come to rest upright in a grassy area next to the runway. An emergency medical team was unable to resuscitate the pilot and he was declared deceased. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot had severe cardiac disease and was using medications to treat both hypertension and coronary artery disease. These were medical conditions about which he misled the Federal Aviation Administration and would have been disqualifying for a pilot medical certificate. In addition, based on the toxicology testing, the pilot was using methamphetamine at the time of the crash. Methamphetamine acutely causes increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure which increases myocardial oxygen demand. It may also directly cause coronary vasospasm. It is very likely that both the pilot's severe coronary artery disease and acute methamphetamine intoxication contributed to the pilot's sudden cardiac death during flight.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.