History of Flight
On August 9, 2017, about 1025 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150 airplane, N3664Z, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Las Vegas, New Mexico. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Dalhart Municipal Airport (DHT), Dalhart, Texas, at 0640, en route to Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF), Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The pilot had recently purchased the accident airplane in Tennessee. On August 3 and 4, he received 1.5 hours of local instruction in the airplane. According to personnel at the DHT fixed base operator, the pilot departed DHT for SAF the day before the accident but returned due to weather. He departed again the morning of the accident.
The pilot was not in contact with air traffic control; however, radar data correlated to the airplane. The data showed the airplane departing DHT, flying southwest to Obar, New Mexico, then turning west. After passing Bell Ranch, it continued west, then northwest. The airplane made several large s-turns and flew east of San Miguel Ranch Airport (NM53) before turning north and continuing a right turn until radar contact was lost. The last radar return was about 1.4 miles southwest of runway 4 at NM53. A search was initiated after the airplane was reported overdue, and the wreckage was located on August 11. The density altitude at the accident location was calculated to be about 8,500 ft.
Personnel Information
The pilot's logbook was found in the wreckage. His most recent flight review was completed on May 22, 2017, in a Cessna 172. The pilot did not hold a current FAA medical certificate and was operating under BasicMed. His logbook revealed almost all his 344 hours of total flight experience were logged during or before 2007, with most between 1983 and 1992. His most recent BasicMed examination was on May 9, 2017. His previous FAA medical certificate was issued on May 17, 2012.
Aircraft Information
A review of the airplane's logbooks did not find any record of significant maintenance issues. Notes in the wreckage indicated the pilot departed with full fuel at a tachometer time of 2,509.08 hours. The airplane’s 1-G stall speed was 43 knots.
Meteorological Information
No significant weather was recorded in the vicinity of the accident.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage came to rest inverted in a wooded area in mountainous terrain. Portions of the right wing were suspended in a tree; near the tree's base was a small crater filled with rain water, and the propeller was located in the crater. The cockpit had an odor of fuel.
Examination of the flight controls did not identify any preimpact anomalies. Both propeller blades displayed leading edge damage and polishing. One blade exhibited s-bending, curling, and leading edge gouges and deformation.
The airplane was recovered to a secure facility in Phoenix, Arizona. An examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact anomalies.
Additional Information
The FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA H-8083-3B) states that at the same gross weight, configuration, CG location, power setting, and environmental conditions, a given airplane consistently stalls at the same indicated airspeed at +1G. However, the airplane can stall at a higher indicated airspeed when subject to acceleration greater than +1G, such as during turns or abrupt flightpath changes. These are called accelerated maneuver stalls, which can occur inadvertently during improperly executed turns or when overshooting a base-to-final turn.
Medical and Pathological Information
The State of New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator performed an autopsy of the pilot. The pilot's heart was enlarged (470 grams; average for his weight is 387 grams) with mild four-chamber dilation. The proximal left anterior descending coronary artery had 90% stenosis, and both the circumflex and right coronary arteries had 50% stenosis. Fibrosis was identified on the left ventricular free wall. Left concentric ventricular hypertrophy was mentioned, but recorded wall thicknesses were average. Microscopy showed a focus of increased fibrosis with cardiac myocyte dropout consistent with a scar. The remaining heart had increased interstitial and perivascular fibrosis. Due to severe injuries, a detailed brain examination could not be conducted. The cause of death was blunt force injuries.
The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology testing. It identified ethanol at 0.151 gm/hg in muscle and 0.037 gm/hg in liver tissue. Another alcohol, N-propanol, commonly produced postmortem, was detected in muscle. Metoprolol was found in lung and muscle. Specimens were marked as putrefied.
Ethanol is an intoxicant and central nervous system depressant. Ingested alcohol distributes evenly throughout the body; therefore, levels from different postmortem tissues are usually similar. Ethanol can be produced postmortem by microbial activity, in which case levels vary considerably. The alcohol levels in the pilot's tissues are consistent with postmortem production.
Metoprolol, doxazosin, and losartan were found among the pilot's belongings at the accident site. Metoprolol is a blood pressure medication that can help prevent recurrent heart attacks; it is not generally considered impairing. Doxazosin and losartan were not detected in the toxicology; both are used to treat high blood pressure.