What happened
A private pilot and one passenger were conducting a cross-country flight to a remote airstable located near a family cabin. The flight was intended to be a three-day trip. After the aircraft failed to return as scheduled, the flight was reported overdue. While search personnel found no signs of recent activity at the destination cabin, ground and aerial teams eventually located the wreckage along the anticipated final approach path for the destination airstrip.
The accident site was characterized by thick forest with trees reaching heights of over 30 feet, which obscured the visibility of the wreckage. The Cessna (type not specified in source) fuselage came to rest in an inverted and nose-down position. Data recovered from a handheld GPS unit indicated that the aircraft approached the airstrip from the southeast on a right downwind approach for runway 27. As the aircraft transitioned into a right base leg, the rate of turn increased sharply. The final recorded GPS track showed a magnetic heading of 095 degrees.
The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury, while the passenger was not injured. An autopsy determined that the pilot did not die immediately upon impact.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no mechanical malfunctions. Although no signal was received from the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), investigators found the unit detached from its mounting tray with the antenna lead still connected and the switch in the ARM position. Testing conducted by the manufacturer under FAA supervision confirmed that the G-switch and all other ELT components operated within prescribed parameters.
Toxicological testing of the pilot's blood revealed very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol.