What happened
The pilot and passenger departed Newport, Rhode Island, at approximately 2100 EST on a VFR flight destined for Southbridge, Massachusetts. Roughly 33 minutes into the flight, the pilot contacted Bradley Approach Control to request assistance reaching the Southbridge Municipal Airport. The controller was unable to establish radar contact with the aircraft and advised that visibility was 3/4 mile in snow showers, though airports to the south were reporting VFR conditions. Despite this, the pilot elected to continue the flight to Southbridge.
At approximately 2145 EST, radio contact with the aircraft was lost. The aircraft subsequently collided with trees in Southbridge and crashed. Witnesses reported that the aircraft circled the area three times prior to the impact and noted that the engine was operating and snow was falling during the event.
The investigation
The investigation found no evidence of preimpact part failure or malfunction of the aircraft or the engine. However, toxicology testing performed on the pilot revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.190% and a urine alcohol level of 0.234%. Additionally, the presence of pseudoephedrine, a non-prescription decongestant, was detected in the pilot's blood at a level of 2.4 mg/L.