History of Flight
On March 28, 2018, at approximately 1223 central daylight time, a Cessna R182, registration N3167C, was destroyed when it struck terrain near Ashville, Alabama. The accident occurred shortly after departure from Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) in Gadsden, Alabama. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The aircraft was privately owned and operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The intended destination was Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) in New Orleans, Louisiana.
According to air traffic control transcripts from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot contacted Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) shortly after departure. He reported being 7 miles south of GAD, climbing from 700 to 2,500 feet, and requested flight following. The controller assigned a transponder code, which the pilot acknowledged as "in the box." No further communications were received.
Family members reported the pilot missing when he did not arrive at MSY. An alert notice was issued, and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center alerted the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). CAP initiated a ground and aerial search on March 29, hampered by poor weather. On March 30, at about 1815, a CAP aircraft located the wreckage and guided ground crews to the site.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on May 30, 2017, with the limitation: "Must have available glasses for near vision. Not valid for night flying or by color signal control." At that time, he reported 425 total flight hours. A review of his logbooks indicated approximately 638 total hours.
A coworker stated that he and the pilot worked the night before the accident from 2130 to 0230, then returned to their hotel. They met the following morning at 0700. The coworker reported that he slept little and believed the pilot slept even less, as he had been working after returning to the hotel.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a four-seat, high-wing, retractable-gear airplane manufactured in 1978. It was powered by a Lycoming O-540 235-horsepower engine. According to maintenance records, an annual inspection was completed on September 19, 2017, at 2,699.4 total aircraft hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1156, the weather at GAD reported wind from 210° at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; few clouds at 4,000 feet; temperature 24°C, dew point 16°C; and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The initial tree impact occurred on flat, heavily wooded terrain at an elevation of approximately 525 feet. Trees at the site were about 50 feet tall. About 15 feet beyond the initial impact, an additional tree strike was noted, with a portion of a wing strut in the upper branches. A section of the right elevator was found in an adjacent tree about 40 feet high. The wreckage path extended about 200 feet, with the main wreckage coming to rest on a heading of 210°, approximately 140 feet from the initial tree strike. The main wreckage consisted of the cockpit, portions of the fuselage, wings, and empennage. All flight control surfaces were located at the site. Sections of the fuselage, cockpit instruments, and the instrument panel were distributed along the debris path. Rudder control cables were connected in the cockpit and empennage; aileron cables were separated from cockpit controls, and aileron bellcranks were not found.
The propeller separated from the engine and came to rest about 20 feet beyond the main wreckage. Two of three blades remained attached to the hub, which was still attached to the propeller flange. The separated blade was adjacent to the main wreckage. All three blades exhibited leading-edge gouging and trailing-edge S-bending. The engine separated from the airframe and was found farthest from the initial tree strike. Several tree fragments displayed 45° angular cuts consistent with propeller contact.
The left main landing gear remained attached to the fuselage in the extended position. The nose and right main landing gear were separated.
Cockpit instruments were heavily damaged. The dual magneto remained attached to the engine but was impact-damaged; water and mud were present, and no spark was produced when rotated by hand. The upper spark plugs from cylinders No. 1, 3, and 5 appeared normal; those from No. 2 and 4 were soaked with oil and covered with dirt; No. 6 upper spark plug was dark gray. Lower spark plugs from cylinders No. 2, 4, and 6 were not removed.
The engine was rotated by hand 350°. Cylinders No. 1, 3, and 5 were removed, and continuity of the crankshaft and camshaft was confirmed visually. No damage was noted to valves, pistons, or connecting rods. The oil suction screen and oil filter were absent of debris. The oil cooler was impact-damaged.
The fuel selector handle was separated from the fuel selector valve. The carburetor was fractured and separated from the engine; disassembly revealed no damage to the float. The induction air box was crushed, and the position of the carburetor heat selector could not be determined. The engine-driven fuel pump remained attached to the engine and was undamaged.
The starter was impact-damaged and partially separated. The vacuum pump remained partially attached; the composite drive assembly and carbon vanes were intact, but the carbon rotor was fractured.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries.
Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified 11 mg/dL of ethanol in the liver, but not in muscle, consistent with postmortem production. Testing also identified 0.0458 µg/mL 11-hydroxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC), marijuana's primary active metabolite, in the liver and 0.0079 µg/mL in the lung. Additionally, 0.907 µg/mL 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), marijuana's primary inactive metabolite, was detected in the liver and 0.0832 µg/mL in the lung; 0.0064 µg/mL delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 9-THC), marijuana's primary impairing psychoactive compound, was detected in the liver and 0.0458 µg/mL in the lung. Blood was not available for testing.