Accident Description
The airplane impacted the terrain while attempting an aerobatic maneuver. According to law enforcement, several beer cans were found around and in the airplane wreckage. No anomalies were found with the airplane that could be associated to any pre-impact condition.
Witness Accounts
A witness reported seeing the accident airplane "do 3 or 4 turns going down after a stall." The witness stated the airplane descended below a tree line and impacted the ground. Another witness reported that the accident airplane was performing "spins" and "barrel rolls" prior to the accident.
Toxicology Results
Toxicology test results indicated that 55 mg/dL of ethanol was detected in the pilot's blood, equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.055%. Additionally, sertraline (brand name Zoloft) and its metabolite desmethylsertraline were found in the pilot's blood, liver, and urine. Specifically, 1.672 ug/mL of sertraline and 2.983 ug/mL of desmethylsertraline were detected in the pilot's blood. Sertraline is a prescription antidepressant, also used in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder. The pilot did not report the use of any medication at his last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical examination, completed on June 13, 2000.
Regulatory Reference
Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 91.17 "Alcohol or drugs" states that no person may act, or attempt to act, as a crewmember of a civil aircraft within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage, while under the influence of alcohol, while using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any way contrary to safety, or while having 0.04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood.