What happened
While operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the aircraft was being monitored by air traffic control at an altitude of 4,500 feet. After receiving a discrete transponder code, the pilot requested permission to descend. Air traffic control granted clearance for an unrestricted descent while traveling westbound. However, communication and radar tracking were lost once the aircraft reached an altitude of 2,700 feet.
Air traffic controllers attempted to contact the pilot on ten separate occasions without success, eventually triggering search and rescue operations. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter eventually located the wreckage by tracking the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter. Although a ground search was initiated, it was suspended the following day due to the dangerous nature of the terrain. Rescue teams were required to be transported to the site via helicopter to recover the one fatality.
During the search, a police helicopter was directed to the location approximately 90 minutes after the initial loss of contact. The pilot of the police aircraft noted that dense fog and a ceiling of approximately 2,400 feet prevented close proximity to the crash site. The aircraft struck a mountain at the 2,700-foot level within a heavily forested, high-altitude area.
Findings
Post-accident toxicology analysis of the pilot's blood revealed the presence of venlafaxine and desmethylvenlafaxine. The concentrations of these substances were indicative of the recent ingestion of a venlafaxine dose exceeding ten times the standard therapeutic amount.