Accident Sequence
A private pilot departed from Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, in a rented, wheel-equipped airplane. Before departure, the pilot left an envelope with a friend, instructing the friend not to open it until after the pilot had departed. The envelope contained a power of attorney transferring all of the pilot's property to his brother, along with a letter titled "Message in a Bottle."
Approximately one hour after departure, a witness aboard a boat observed the accident airplane flying very low over the water. The witness reported that the wings were rocking back and forth, with the wingtips almost touching the water. The airplane entered a collision course with the boat, requiring the witness to take abrupt evasive action to avoid being struck. Numerous other witnesses in the area reported similar encounters with the same airplane.
About one hour later, a passing airplane received a distress call from the accident pilot, who stated that he had lost engine power and was going down. The U.S. Coast Guard recovered the pilot's floating body. The airplane sank in deep ocean waters.
Investigation Findings
Toxicology tests detected alcohol, cocaine, and Valium in the pilot's blood, muscles, and organ tissue. The postmortem examination ruled the cause of death as suicide. The pilot had a history of substance abuse, had previously been convicted of first-degree arson, and was being sought by local police for a recent arson.
No official determination of the cause of the engine failure was stated in the investigation report.