ALEXANDRIA, MN, USA
N8088P
PIPER PA-24-180
THE ACFT CRASHED AS THE PLT WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT NIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT INITIALLY, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY. IT THEN BOUNCED OVER THE EASTBOUND LANE(S) & SUBSEQUENTLY CAME TO REST IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THE OCCURRENCE, THE PLT RECEIVED A CONCUSSION & COULD NOT REMEMBER THE ACDNT. NO FUEL WAS REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL WAS NOTED IN THE PLT'S BREATH. A BLOOD SAMPLE WAS DRAWN ABOUT 1 HR AFTER THE ACDNT. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE BLOOD SHOWED THE PLT HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.12% (GRAMS/100 ML). THE PLT'S LAST MED CERT WAS DATED 7/17/86.
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PLT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, HIS IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM HIS INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT NIGHT AND UNEVEN TERRAIN (HIGHWAY MEDIAN) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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