What happened
On July 2, 2000, at 0815 CDT, wreckage of an aircraft was located approximately 1 1/2 miles east-northeast of Brownton, Minnesota. The discovery followed a report made at 0955 CDT by a flight instructor for the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) that operated the airplane. The instructor noticed the aircraft was missing from its hangar at the Maple Lake Airport in Maple and Lake, Minnesota.
Upon arriving at the FBO, the instructor observed that the student pilot's vehicle was parked in the lot, car keys were left on a desk, and the facility's security alarm system had been deactivated. Records indicated the student pilot had 12.4 total flying hours, with his most recent flight occurring on September 2, 1995. At the time of the incident, the student pilot lacked a current medical certificate and had not received an endorsement for solo flight.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel selector was in the 'closed' position. No other mechanical anomalies were identified during the inspection of the airplane.
Findings
FAA toxicology testing performed on specimens from the student pilot detected ethanol in the blood, muscle, and urine. The FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory determined that these levels were consistent with alcohol consumption, specifically equating to a blood-alcohol level of 0.06 percent by weight.