Accident Overview
On October 4, 2022, at about 1238 Pacific daylight time, a Cornford Mustang II airplane, registration N887QR, was substantially damaged when it struck terrain near Jamul, California. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
According to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, the pilot departed Gillespie Field Airport (SEE) in El Cajon, California, at approximately 1225. The airplane took off from runway 27L and established a southerly heading toward Jamul, climbing to about 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl). About 13 miles from SEE, near Lyons Peak, the airplane turned left approximately 180° and continued northeast for about 4 miles. It then climbed to about 4,600 ft msl, reversed course, and maneuvered back toward Lyons Peak. The radar track ended in the vicinity of Lyons Peak at 1238. The wreckage was located around 1600 by law enforcement personnel at the base of a rock face adjacent to Lyons Peak.
A witness near the accident site reported seeing the airplane fly by her residence and hearing the engine sputtering. Shortly after the airplane disappeared from her view, she heard a loud bang.
Wreckage and Terrain
The airplane impacted sparsely wooded, rocky, and steep mountainous terrain at an elevation of about 2,975 ft msl. Various fragments of the airplane and engine were found while attempting to access the site. A section of the wing was separated from the fuselage, consistent with impact damage. Fragments of the fuselage were scattered throughout the mountainous rock faces. The empennage separated and came to rest about 50 ft east and below the wing section. Due to the inaccessible terrain, the engine and propeller were not located, and recovery and examination of the airframe and engine could not be completed.
Pilot Medical History and Toxicology
A death investigation report accompanying the autopsy documented medical history provided by the pilot’s family and friends. The pilot had a history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, successfully treated with chemotherapy ten years before the accident. In the weeks preceding the accident, the pilot had been severely ill with a high fever and had lost weight. He missed several days of work and did not attend several family events, which was unusual for him. According to the investigative report, the pilot had been seen by his physician for the illness the day before the accident. None of the witnesses could confirm his current cancer status at the time of the interviews.
An autopsy performed by the Department of Medical Examiner, San Diego, California, listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma and the manner of death as accident. Due to the extent of his injuries, internal organs were unavailable for examination.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. Postmortem toxicological testing of muscle tissue detected ethanol at 0.107 g/hg. N-propanol and n-butanol were also detected. Zolpidem was detected at 16 ng/g. Cyclobenzaprine was detected, and its metabolite norcyclobenzaprine was detected at 43 ng/g.
Toxicological Substance Information
Ethanol is a type of alcohol found in beer, wine, and liquor. Consumption can impair judgment, psychomotor performance, cognition, and vigilance. FAA regulations prohibit pilots from flying with a blood ethanol level of 0.04 g/dL or greater. However, ethanol can also be produced by microbes in the body after death, a process made more likely by extensive traumatic injury, increased time from death to autopsy, and environmental factors.
N-propanol and n-butanol are other alcohols that can be produced by microbes after death. Their presence in a postmortem specimen is potentially indicative of postmortem microbial activity but does not reliably indicate that postmortem ethanol production occurred.
Cyclobenzaprine is a prescription medication commonly used to treat acute muscle spasms. It carries a warning that use may impair the mental and physical abilities necessary to drive a vehicle or operate heavy machinery. The FAA considers cyclobenzaprine a “do not fly” medication. Norcyclobenzaprine is a metabolite of cyclobenzaprine.
Zolpidem is a prescription medication commonly used for short-term insomnia. It carries a warning that use may impair the ability to operate a motor vehicle or heavy machinery, including the next day. Drowsiness, prolonged reaction time, dizziness, blurred vision, and reduced alertness have been reported. The FAA allows occasional or limited use of sleep aids like zolpidem, provided pilots do not use the drug every day and observe a sufficient waiting period before flying.
Probable Cause
The source did not state a probable cause.