Flight Details
The pilot, who held an instrument rating, conducted a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. The aircraft struck a coastal mountain ridge at an elevation of 1,940 feet. The ridge was the last terrain feature before the pilot's destination. Weather conditions in the area were marginal, with an AIRMET valid for the flight period forecasting mountain obscuration and instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions. No record was found of the pilot obtaining a preflight or in-flight weather briefing. The accident site was obscured by low ceilings, which hindered search and rescue operations.
Pilot Qualifications
Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he lacked the recency of experience required to fly in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) under instrument flight rules (IFR).
Toxicology Results
Toxicological analysis of the pilot's blood and urine tested positive for theophylline, a drug commonly used to treat asthma, at levels of 2.2 mcg/ml in blood and 22.5 mcg/ml in urine. Additionally, undetermined levels of ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine, both over-the-counter decongestants, were detected in blood and urine. An undetermined level of hydrochlorothiazide, a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure, was found in the pilot's blood.