Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB WPR10FA324
CESSNA 182P — Avalon, CA
| Date | July 1, 2010 |
| Location | Avalon, CA |
| Aircraft | CESSNA 182P |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 53 |
| Pilot total time | 702 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-Cardiovascular-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Sloped/uneven-Not specified
What happened
While on approach to land, the pilot reported over the UNICOM frequency that he was not able to feel his left side. Subsequently, the airplane crashed about 2 miles from the airport. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although diphenhydramine, an impairing medication, was detected in the pilot’s liver and brain, the available information does not allow a determination of postmortem levels. The autopsy findings noted severe coronary artery disease of the left and right coronary arteries. It is likely that the pilot suffered an incapacitating heart attack while in flight, which led to a loss of airplane control.