STOCKTON, CA, USA
N26198
ROBINSON R22 BETA
AFTER AN EVENING OF SOCIALIZING, THE PLT & PAX ELECTED TO GO ON A LOCAL FLT IN THE EARLY MORNING HRS BEFORE SUNRISE. THEY TOOK THE HELICOPTER (N26198) WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORIZATION & TOOK OFF DRG DARKNESS. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE IN AN ERRACTIC MANNER. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE, THEN HIT THE ROOF OF A BUILDING, CRASHED TO THE GROUND & BURNED. NO PREEXISTING AIRFRAME OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF BLOOD & URINE SAMPLES WERE MADE. THE CHECKS SHOWED THE PLT & PAX HAD BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 0.17% & 0.11% (GRAMS%), RESPECTIVELY. A DRUG SCREEN OF FLUID FROM THE PLT SHOWED COCAINE/BENZOYLECGONINE LEVELS OF 0.19 MG/L. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS CONCERNING THE PAX WERE NEGATIVE FOR DRUGS.
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL & DRUGS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. THE LIGHT CONDITION (AT NIGHT) AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (POWER LINES AND BUILDING) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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