On April 15, 2006, an Air Tractor AT-602 (registration N5003E) was involved in an aviation accident near Meridian, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees. Contributing factors were the drug impairment and low maneuvering altitude. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A commercial pilot with 8,600 hours was maneuvering low during an aerial application flight when the airplane hit a tree and then the ground, destroying it in a post-impact fire. Toxicology showed impairing levels of hydrocodone and alprazolam.
Accident Details
A commercial pilot with 8,600 flight hours was performing a local aerial application flight. While maneuvering at low altitude, the airplane struck a tree and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest upright and was destroyed by a post-impact fire. All major components were accounted for at the accident site.
Flight Control and Engine Examination
Continuity was established to all flight controls. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
Toxicology Findings
Toxicological evaluation of the pilot's specimens detected hydrocodone and alprazolam. Both drugs are known to negatively affect psychomotor tasks. The pilot's blood hydrocodone level was over 50 times the expected level about one and a half hours after a typical single maximum dose. The alprazolam level was consistent with more than twice the dose shown to cause impairment.