Accident Details
On May 27, 2015, at 1625 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 337F, registration N1732M, was substantially damaged when it struck a building and a communications antenna while taxiing at Melbourne International Airport (MLB), Melbourne, Florida. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was destined for Dayton, Ohio. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to a police report, the pilot requested a taxi clearance from the north ramp area to runway 9L. The tower controller advised the pilot that his clearance to Dayton, Ohio had expired, and instructed him to return to the ramp. The pilot's speech was described as "slurred," and he did not follow any of the controller's instructions. The pilot then taxied west on taxiway kilo toward the departure end of runway 9L. The airplane went off the end of the taxiway and immediately turned right toward a building located about 200 feet away and abeam the taxiway end. The airplane impacted the building and an adjacent communications antenna.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land (limited to centerline thrust), and instrument airplane. He also held a third-class medical certificate issued on November 13, 2014, with a limitation of "must wear corrective lenses." At that time, he reported 1,238 total flight hours.
The aircraft was a Cessna 337F, equipped with two engines. Examination by an airframe and powerplant mechanic, supervised by the airport operations director, revealed no anomalies in the flight control systems, nosewheel steering, or brake system that could have precluded normal operation.
Post-Accident Findings
At 1626, the controller contacted airport police and urged them to respond quickly, stating he "felt that the pilot may be intoxicated and they heard the screams of a young child onboard." Police arrived at 1640 and detected an odor of alcohol from the pilot. A search of the airplane revealed an unopened bottle of wine, one opened bottle of liquor about half full, and an opened "water" bottle containing a clear liquid with an odor of alcohol. After the pilot refused to take an alcohol breathalyzer and field sobriety test, he was taken into custody and charged under Florida State Statute with "Operation of an aircraft while intoxicated or in a careless or reckless manner."
The airplane came to rest against a small building located along the airport perimeter fence. The leading edge of the left wing sustained substantial damage, and the front engine propeller tips were bent forward and gouged.