Accident Overview
A pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings at his unlighted private dirt airstrip. Shortly after sunset, his family noticed he was missing. The following morning, the wreckage of his aircraft was discovered at the bottom of a 300-foot-deep gully adjacent and parallel to the airstrip. The pilot was located 10 feet from the wreckage with fatal injuries.
Evidence at the Scene
Investigators observed a set of tracks curving off the edge of the airstrip toward the gully. Broken pieces of wingtip fairing were found along the track, which extended downslope for 400 feet before terminating. The wreckage was roughly aligned with these tracks, but a second ground scar running in the opposite direction was noted near the bottom of the slope, adjacent to the wreckage.
Aircraft and Systems
No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions was found. Examination of the cockpit revealed that the pilot's seat belt and shoulder harness were unfastened, with no damage or failure to the restraint system or buckle.
Pilot Background
The pilot's son reported that the pilot had been taking diet pills referred to as 'Pondemun and Fastum' [sic].