Accident Details
On April 24, 2011, about 1030 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 320F airplane, registration N320AZ, impacted Heron Lake near Los Ojos, New Mexico. The aircraft had departed from cruise flight. The pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage from the collision and the wreckage submerged in deep water. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not operating on a flight plan. The flight originated from Prescott, Arizona, approximately 0730 mountain daylight time.
Witness Account
A witness who was on the water at the time reported hearing the engine sound of an airplane flying low overhead. The witness stated that the engine noise suddenly went silent and he then observed a large splash of water.
Weather
At the time of the accident, weather reported in the area was stormy with rain and thunderstorms.
Wreckage and Investigation
The airplane wreckage was not recovered from the water; examination of the engines and airframe was not possible. Recovered pieces indicated the airplane fragmented on impact. The airplane’s maintenance records were not available for the investigation.
Pilot Information
Due to the severity of the water accident, the pilot’s identity was determined by DNA analysis; a toxicology test was not performed. Federal Aviation Administration records showed the pilot held a private pilot certificate with single- and multi-engine land ratings. The pilot did not possess an instrument rating. He held a third-class medical certificate dated December 30, 2009. The pilot’s logbook was not recovered, and therefore his time in make and model, as well as a breakdown of total flight times, were not determined.
Other
During the investigation, numerous packages, reportedly illegal narcotics, surfaced from the wreckage and were seized by authorities.