FORT WAYNE, IN, USA
N91665
NAVION L-17A
A WITNESS RPRTD THE ACFT DESCENDED TOWARD HIS HOME FROM THE NORTH, THEN IT PULLED UP & BANKED TO THE SOUTHWEST. THE WITNESS & HIS SON RAN BEHIND THE HOUSE TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE RPRTD THE ACFT BANKED BACK TO THE EAST, THEN ENTERED A DESCENT & DISAPPEARED FROM HIS VIEW. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. DURING IMPACT, THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 220 FT AREA. THE WITNESS NOTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL AS THE AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER HIS HOUSE. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD & VITREOUS FLUID SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 173 MG/DL (0.173%) & 216 MG/DL (0.216%), RESPECTIVELY. ALSO, NORDIAZEPAM (A DERIVATIVE OF VALIUM) WAS FOUND IN HIS BLOOD AT A LEVEL OF 778 NG/ML.
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT DUE TO IMPAIRMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AND USE OF A DRUG, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE ABOVE WOODED TERRAIN. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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