PIPER PA-25-235 — Pensacola, FL

What happened

The pilot had been flying for about 20 to 30 minutes, practicing banner tow pick-up and using the local left-hand traffic pattern prior to the accident. One witness noted the airplane in a closer than normal traffic pattern as it was turning to the runway and close in to his house. The engine made a "couple of popping sounds and went silent" about 300 feet above ground level. The airplane was then observed in a left bank and 45-degree nose down attitude as it descended into terrain. All other witnesses reported that the engine was not running at the time of the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel system had not been compromised. No fuel could be seen in the fuel tank. A fuel sample was taken from the lower firewall fuel drain and was found to be consistent with the odor and color of 100 low lead aviation fuel. Removal and examination of the carburetor fuel bowl found approximately 8 ounces of fuel remaining. The date of the airplane’s last fueling and the hours of operation since that fueling could not be determined. Postmortem toxicology testing performed on specimens from the pilot was consistent with recent ingestion of a night-time multisymptom cold reliever containing a sedating antihistamine. The pilot's weight may have placed him at risk for obstructive sleep apnea and associated daytime fatigue. The pilot may have been impaired by fatigue from recent use of a sedating antihistamine, from poor sleep due to cold symptoms, and/or from the effects of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea; however, the role of any such impairment in the accident could not be definitively determined.

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