Accident Details
The airplane collided with a tree estimated to be 25-30 feet high located in a pasture. Following the tree strike, the airplane impacted the ground and cartwheeled. The property owner, who heard the impact, reported that the weather conditions at the time were low overcast, drizzle, and fog.
Pilot Background
According to friends and acquaintances, the pilot was experiencing depression related to a divorce and was undergoing medical treatment for depression. The evening before the accident, the pilot had been observed circling a town at low altitude. Upon landing at the airport, the pilot was met by a law enforcement officer who reported that the pilot appeared to be impaired. The officer offered the pilot the option of checking into a motel or going to jail for public intoxication; the pilot chose to check into a motel.
Toxicology Results
Post-accident toxicology tests on the pilot revealed a blood ethanol concentration of 156 mg/dL. Additionally, a 0.283 µg/mL level of sertraline, a tranquilizer, was detected in the blood samples.