Accident Sequence
The airplane impacted terrain in a nose-low pitch attitude after the private pilot lost control during a turn from base to final approach. Witnesses at the arrival airport observed the airplane flying a fairly tight right downwind pattern for runway 36 at an altitude of about 650 to 750 feet above ground level (agl). Surface winds were from the east, and according to witnesses, the pilot overshot the turn to final approach. The pilot corrected back toward the centerline in a fairly steep bank, at which point the airplane entered a roll to the right and the nose dropped toward the ground. Witnesses lost sight of the airplane as it descended behind trees in a nose-low pitch attitude, estimating the altitude at the time of the roll was between 300 and 350 feet agl.
Pilot Information
The private pilot had flown the airplane once within the preceding six months and twice within the past 12 months. Toxicology tests performed on the pilot were positive for tramadol (a prescription painkiller) and chlorpheniramine (an antihistamine commonly used in over-the-counter cold and allergy preparations). Side effects of these drugs include dizziness, sleepiness, and performance degradation for complex cognitive and motor tasks.
Aircraft Information
No anomalies with the airframe or engines were noted that would have prevented their normal operation. According to the fixed-based operator where the airplane was based, fueling personnel added 10 gallons of fuel to each wing prior to the accident flight; however, the total fuel quantity at departure was unknown. The unusable fuel quantity was 6.1 gallons. Fuel consumption varied between 24.4 and 33.0 gallons per hour depending on power setting, and the accident flight lasted 35 minutes. After the accident, no fuel was found in the fuel system components for the right engine except for the fuel manifold. It was possible that the right engine's fuel supply line may have become unported during the steep bank to final; however, with an unknown fuel quantity, this could not be determined conclusively.
Probable Cause
The source states: "It is likely the use of the two drugs impaired the pilot's judgment and performance in pre-flight planning and in the flight itself."