Accident Details
On April 23, 2009, about 1000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A188B, registration N4789Q, operated by A & C Ag Aviation Inc., sustained substantial damage while landing at a private airstrip near Pinehurst, Georgia. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed for the Part 137 aerial application flight, which had departed the airstrip around 0800.
Sequence of Events
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot had been spraying for mosquitoes and returned for a landing on the north runway, a 2,600-foot-long, 100-foot-wide turf strip. The aircraft touched down long and toward the left side of the runway, then traveled off the left side, impacted bushes, and came to rest inverted. The pilot, wearing harnesses and a helmet, was found deceased at the scene.
A witness who was flying in the area and knew the accident pilot reported that the pilot was on a left downwind leg for the north runway and "waved his wings" at the witness's airplane. About one minute later, the witness heard the accident airplane's engine rev to high rpm and observed it make a "hard" left turn onto final approach. The witness considered this uncharacteristic of the pilot, who usually approached "steadily." The witness lost sight of the aircraft on final approach but thought the pilot must have been experiencing difficulty. The witness also stated the wind was from the west at 5 to 7 mph.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The single-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 18802531T, was manufactured in 1976 and powered by a Continental Motors IO-520, 300-horsepower engine. Its last annual inspection was completed on March 28, 2009, at a total airframe time of 10,477 hours; the engine had 1,402 hours since major overhaul.
The pilot, aged 73, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for single- and multiengine land. His most recent second-class medical certificate, issued on January 19, 2009, indicated 15,000 total flight hours and no reported medical issues, including heart or vascular trouble. The pilot's spouse was unaware of any personal or family history of heart disease.
Wreckage Examination and Engine Test
Examination by the FAA inspector found no preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Fuel was present in both tanks, with some leakage while inverted. After righting the wreckage and adding 5 gallons of fuel to the left wing tank, the engine started and ran continuously to 2,500 rpm.
Medical and Toxicology Findings
An autopsy performed on April 29, 2009, by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation noted the cause of death as "blunt force trauma to the neck." The report also described a heart weight of 570 grams and ventricular wall thicknesses: left ventricular wall and interventricular septum each 1.3 cm, right ventricular wall 0.4 cm. Toxicological tests by the FAA were negative for drugs and alcohol.
Weather Information
At 0953, an airport about 30 miles southwest reported few clouds at 1,300 feet, visibility 7 miles, and wind from 170 degrees at 6 knots.