QUAD CITY CHALLENGER — Sweetwater, TN

What happened

Despite being told by the airplane owner that he could taxi, but not fly, the airplane, the pilot conducted a high-speed taxi and took off. About 250 to 300 ft above ground level, the airplane suddenly nosed over. The owner, who witnessed the takeoff, stated that the engine was not seized, and the propeller was still spinning when the airplane disappeared behind trees.

Examination revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and damage signatures and witness accounts indicated that the engine was producing power at the time of the accident.

Toxicology testing detected THC-COOH, the inactive metabolite of THC, in the pilot’s liver and lung tissue. Gabapentin, promethazine, norchlorcyclizine, duloxetine, citalopram, its metabolite n-desmethylcitalopram, and trazodone were detected in the pilot’s liver tissue; except for trazodone, these compounds were also detected in the pilot’s muscle tissue.

Since only the inactive metabolite of THC was detected, it is unlikely that the effects from the pilot’s use of cannabis were a factor in this accident. Autopsy findings did not show evidence of any potentially sudden incapacitating event. Thus, it is unlikely that the pilot’s medical conditions or his use of detected prescription medications contributed to the accident.

Although the circumstances of the accident are consistent with a loss of control, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined based on the available information.

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