On February 16, 1993, a Beech E33 (registration N7882R) operated by Edmond C. Long was involved in an aviation accident near Avalon, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S ALCOHOLIC IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT WHICH RESULTED IN HIS ATTEMPT TO PERFORM AEROBATICS AT NIGHT IN HILLY TERRAIN AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A witness observed an airplane performing steep climbs and a loop before an accident. The pilot lacked a current medical certificate and flight review. Toxicology detected ethanol in liver and kidney; a broken whiskey bottle was found.
Witness Account
A witness reported hearing the engine 'revving and pulling up real hard.' Running onto his porch, he saw the airplane 'going straight up and did a loop.' The aircraft then descended and again went straight up. The witness noted that the landing lights 'hit the cloud deck.' Another witness stated that by natural light, the silhouettes of all the mountain tops in the area were visible.
Pilot Qualifications
The pilot did not have a current medical certificate or a biennial flight review.
Toxicology and Evidence
Toxicological tests on the pilot were positive. The liver contained 73 mg/dL of ethanol, and the kidney contained 180 mg/dL of ethanol. A broken 1/2 gallon plastic bottle of whiskey was found in the main wreckage. The pilot's driver's license had been suspended twice in 1992 for excessive alcohol levels.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the 16 Feb 1993 Beech E33 accident near Avalon, CA?
A witness observed an airplane performing steep climbs and a loop before an accident. The pilot lacked a current medical certificate and flight review. Toxicology detected ethanol in liver and kidney; a broken whiskey bottle was found.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 16 Feb 1993 involved a Beech E33, registration N7882R, operated by Edmond C. Long, at Avalon, CA.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
THE PILOT'S ALCOHOLIC IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT WHICH RESULTED IN HIS ATTEMPT TO PERFORM AEROBATICS AT NIGHT IN HILLY TERRAIN AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE.
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