Accident Sequence
According to a passenger occupying the front right seat, the pilot elected to make an unscheduled landing on a lake surrounded by rising terrain. The passenger stated that the pilot made an easterly approach to the lake but initiated a go-around before touching down. The airplane then flew low over the lake surface toward a “V” shaped notch formed by a creek with hills on either side at the east end of the lake. While flying through the notch, the passenger believed the left wing struck the hillside. The pilot responded by pulling back hard on the control yoke and rolling the airplane to the right. The airplane entered a steep climb, began to shake, and the stall warning horn sounded. Subsequently, the airplane rolled left into a steep descent and impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude. The left wing had struck a tree on the creek bank prior to the crash.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicological tests detected the pilot’s recent use of over-the-counter medications intended for relief of cold and flu symptoms. Two of these medications are sedating. The use of these sedating medications on the day of the accident or the underlying illness may have affected the pilot’s performance.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause is the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree during a low altitude maneuver and his failure to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of over-the-counter sedating medications.