Accident Overview
On September 22, 2020, at 1712 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182 airplane, registration N2601Q, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a pond and the surrounding area in Lincolnton, Georgia. The private pilot was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tracking data, the pilot departed Cherokee County Regional Airport (CNI) in Canton, Georgia, around 1530. He flew to Barrow County Regional Airport (WDR) in Winder, Georgia, where he remained for about 30 minutes. At 1638, he departed for his home airport, a private field in Lincolnton, Georgia.
Witness Accounts
Two witnesses were mowing grass around a pond located on land owned by the pilot's family, about 3 miles south of the private airport. One witness reported seeing the airplane fly low toward him and then over the pond in what he described as the pilot's standard "I'm home" flyby. Another witness stated that the airplane "buzzed the pond" at an altitude less than 60 feet above the ground. The airplane then pulled up to a normal flying altitude, circled in a left turn, and approached the pond a second time at an altitude estimated to be less than 50 feet. At one point, the airplane flew between two groups of trees with its right wing pointing almost straight up. The airplane struck the ground at the edge of the pond, briefly became airborne again, then hit the water and came to rest partially submerged. The second witness did not see the impact due to obstructing trees but heard the engine sound steady until a thump followed by a shoosh.
Tracking Data
FAA tracking data showed the airplane approached the pond area from the west at a recorded pressure altitude of 500 feet (field elevation varied from 400 to 500 feet mean sea level). After passing the pond, the airplane turned left about 270 degrees before the recorded data ended when the airplane was about 0.1 nautical mile northwest of the pond. During the first half of the turn, the airplane climbed to 1,000 feet and then descended to 500 feet at the last data point.
Wreckage Examination
Examination by two FAA inspectors revealed severe impact and crush damage forward of the empennage. Both wings were separated from the fuselage with leading edge damage. The engine remained attached, but the propeller assembly (both blades and hub) was separated from the flange. One propeller blade was twisted and bent about mid-span; the other was slightly bent near the root and slightly twisted near the tip.
A follow-up examination found that the flaps were retracted and the elevator trim tab was deflected about 5° trailing edge up (airplane nose down). Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the control surfaces through cable separations consistent with cuts by recovery personnel or tension overload. The engine was impact-damaged, and the starter, magnetos, intake, and exhaust components were separated and missing. Rust inside the cylinders prevented manual rotation of the crankshaft.
Toxicology Results
FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory toxicology testing detected the antidepressant citalopram in the pilot's liver tissue and its active metabolite, n-desmethylcitalopram, in his cavity blood and liver tissue. Citalopram is an FAA-approved antidepressant with a special issuance medical certificate, though it carries a warning about potential impairment. The allergy medication cetirizine was detected in the pilot's cavity blood and liver tissue but not quantified; cetirizine can have sedating effects. The gastroesophageal reflux medicine pantoprazole was also detected.