What happened
On March 17, 2020, a Cessna 208B, registration N274PM, was destroyed during an on-demand cargo flight near La Crosse, Kansas. The flight, operated by Planemosters Ltd, was traveling from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport to Hays Regional Airport under instrument flight rules.
During the approach to runway 34 at Hays, the aircraft's radar and ADS-B data were lost twice. Following a missed approach, the pilot notified air traffic control (ATC) of his intention to divert to Great Bend Airport. While climbing to approximately 7,000 feet, the pilot began making unintelligible radio communications. ATC controllers noted the pilot sounded garbled and suggested there might be a cockpit or pressurization issue, even instructing the pilot to use oxygen.
At approximately 09:18 CDT, ATC notified the pilot that the aircraft had descended 1,600 feet and was deviating from its assigned course. The pilot did not respond to this inquiry. The last radar and ADS-B targets were observed at 09:18:48. A witness near the accident site reported seeing the airplane descend rapidly from a low overcast layer, transition into a steep climb, and then impact the terrain. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage in a field, finding the engine and forward fuselage buried several feet underground. The impact pattern was consistent with a high-speed, near-vertical descent. A post-accident examination of the Cessna 208B revealed no mechanical irregularities or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation.
ATC communications were reviewed, highlighting the period where the pilot's speech became unreadable. Toxicology results from the FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified the presence of atorvastatin and trimethoprim, but neither drug was considered impairing. An autopsy identified hypertensive cardiovascular disease, though investigators could not determine if an acute medical event occurred.