Accident Summary
On a cross-country flight, an aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted a lake, where it sank. The wreckage was not recovered, but both occupants were eventually recovered from the lake over a 2-month period.
Flight Tracking
Review of recorded radar data identified the aircraft as it departed and flew to a point over the lake. At about 1343, the target started a high vertical rate descent from 6,500 feet to 3,100 feet, where the mode C report stopped, in 1 minute 36 seconds. The recorded data lost the beacon code at this altitude but two primary targets remained. The last radar hit was at 1344, at coordinates 33°28′N 115°37.9′W, over the northern end of the lake.
Pilot Background
The pilot did not have a pilot certificate or current medical certificate. The date of his most recent application for a medical certificate, which was recalled by the FAA, was July 15, 1997. This application listed 800 hours total time and 100 hours in the last 6 months. Numerous medical certificate applications were denied by the FAA during the 1980s and early 1990s due to a history of heart problems. His medical records contained a history of heart problems.
Medical and Toxicology Findings
The autopsy report on the pilot noted long-term atherosclerotic disease in the right coronary artery and a blood clot in the right coronary artery that was several days old. The report noted limited injuries to the upper extremities. The pilot's wife was not a pilot. The autopsy report on the pilot's wife noted substantial upper and lower extremity injuries consistent with control manipulation at impact. The pilot's toxicology report showed pseudoephedrine and ephedrine in his tissue samples. Both substances can result in increased heart rate, constriction of blood vessels, and an increase in blood pressure. The effects could increase the risk of a heart attack in someone with significant coronary artery disease.