On April 16, 1995, a Piper PA-28-181 (registration N8397Y) was involved in an aviation accident near Schaumburg, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO ALCOHOL, HIS RESULTANT IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS ATTEMPT TO PERFORM AN APPARENT AEROBATIC MANEUVER AT AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ASSURE RECOVERY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A 70-year-old pilot performed a low-altitude flyby before executing a split-s maneuver. The airplane rolled inverted and crashed in a wings-level attitude. Post-mortem toxicology tests detected ethanol.
Incident Summary
A 70-year-old pilot informed witnesses of his intent to perform a flyby before departing to relocate the non-aerobatic airplane to another airport. After takeoff, the airplane was observed overflying the runway at low altitude. The aircraft then rolled inverted and the nose dropped through vertical, characteristic of a 'split-s' maneuver. The airplane subsequently crashed in a wings-level, right-side-up attitude, heading opposite (180 degrees) to the direction of initial entry.
Toxicology Findings
Post-mortem toxicology tests revealed ethanol levels of 96 mg/dL (0.096%) in vitreous fluid and 24 mg/dL (0.024%) in liver tissue.
What happened in the 16 Apr 1995 Piper PA-28-181 accident near Schaumburg, IL?
A 70-year-old pilot performed a low-altitude flyby before executing a split-s maneuver. The airplane rolled inverted and crashed in a wings-level attitude. Post-mortem toxicology tests detected ethanol.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 16 Apr 1995 involved a Piper PA-28-181, registration N8397Y, at Schaumburg, IL.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO ALCOHOL, HIS RESULTANT IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS ATTEMPT TO PERFORM AN APPARENT AEROBATIC MANEUVER AT AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ASSURE RECOVERY.
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