History of Flight
On May 24, 2023, at about 1101 central daylight time, a Cessna 182T airplane, registration N577TZ, sustained substantial damage during an accident near Grand Isle, Louisiana. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an aerial observation mission for fish spotting.
The pilot departed from his home base in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, at approximately 0805. ADS-B data showed he performed low-level maneuvers consistent with fish spotting for about three hours. Around 1030, the pilot made radio contact with a boat captain to coordinate a short flight to scout fish locations west of the boat. The boat captain reported that the pilot appeared upset, agitated, and discouraged due to an unspecified issue from the previous day. The pilot used profanity, which was described as abnormal and against company policy.
The pilot descended to about 500 feet above ground level near Cat Island. The boat captain advised him to land and take a break. The pilot responded that he would fly north, which was the last communication. At about 1104, the boat captain texted the pilot, but received no reply.
The final ADS-B data point showed the airplane approximately 1.8 miles offshore, heading southwest at an altitude of about 175 feet above the water. No distress calls were received. Company personnel notified the U.S. Coast Guard, who initiated a search. The pilot's body was located the following morning near the coastline, but the airplane was not immediately found.
On June 6, a shrimp boat's net snagged the airplane. Unable to haul it aboard, the captain cut the net and recorded the location. On June 11, most of the wreckage was recovered about 1.8 miles offshore in approximately 15 feet of water.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The extent of airframe damage from the water impact was unclear due to tidal activity, entanglement in the shrimp net, and recovery operations. The fuselage was recovered in four main sections: forward fuselage, mid-fuselage, empennage, and left wing. The right wing, both cabin doors, lower engine cowling, and part of the upper rudder were missing.
The forward fuselage, including the engine and propeller, exhibited underside crush damage. The nose landing gear strut was bent and displaced aft about 60 degrees into the firewall and floor, which was bent and distorted. Neither forward seat restraint was found secured in its buckle assembly. The fuel selector was in the BOTH position, and fuel was present. A damaged can of White Claw Hard Seltzer, apparently unopened, was found behind the instrument panel.
Flight control continuity from the mid-fuselage to the cockpit was established. Disconnects in control cables were consistent with impact and recovery. The left flap was extended, with a bent push/pull rod preventing retraction; the right flap and actuator were not recovered. The elevator trim tab measured about 10 degrees tab down (nose up).
The engine remained attached to its mount, and the propeller remained attached. Corrosion and ocean silt were present. The engine fuel pump, flow divider, fuel servo lines, and servo contained evidence of fuel. Manual rotation of the propeller produced thumb compression on all six cylinders, and mechanical continuity was noted throughout the engine.
Postaccident examination found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by the Jefferson Parish Forensic Center determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries and drowning, with the manner of death ruled an accident.
The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicological testing on postmortem specimens. No drugs of abuse were detected. Ethanol was found in cavity blood at 0.278 g/dL, in vitreous fluid at 0.245 g/dL, in muscle at 0.249 g/dL, and in brain at 0.283 g/dL. N-propanol was detected in cavity blood and brain but not in vitreous or muscle. N-butanol was detected in cavity blood but not in other specimens.
Ethanol is an intoxicating alcohol that can impair judgment, cognition, and vigilance. Performance effects worsen with increasing blood levels. However, ethanol can also be produced postmortem by microbial activity, especially after traumatic injury. Vitreous fluid is less susceptible to such production. N-propanol and n-butanol are other alcohols that can be produced by postmortem microbes, but their presence does not reliably indicate that ethanol was produced after death. FAA regulations prohibit flying with a blood ethanol level of 0.04 g/dL or greater.