Accident Overview
During the initial climb phase of takeoff in dark night conditions, the airplane impacted terrain. The ceiling was reported at 100 ft with visibility of 1/4 mile in fog. The pilot, who held an instrument rating and a private pilot certificate, sustained serious injuries and does not recall the flight. No discrepancies were found with the aircraft, flight instruments, or engines that would have contributed to the accident.
Pilot and Weather
The pilot obtained a weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan prior to departure. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated 312.8 total flight hours, including 54.2 hours in the accident aircraft. Night flight experience totaled 61 hours, with 36.9 hours in the same aircraft. Actual instrument time was 26.8 hours, of which 19.6 hours were in the accident aircraft.
Toxicology
Toxicological testing, conducted on a urine sample subpoenaed by the NTSB from the treating hospital, revealed the presence of benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine), ethanol, and cocaethylene (a substance formed when cocaine and alcohol are ingested simultaneously). Benzoylecgonine can be detected in urine for 3 to 5 days after cocaine use. Because blood was not available for analysis, it could not be determined how much of each substance was ingested or when ingestion occurred. The pilot stated that he was not under the influence of cocaine or alcohol on the day of the crash.
Probable Cause
The NTSB determined the probable cause of the accident to be the pilot's spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. Contributing factors were the fog, low ceilings, and dark night conditions.