COTTAGE GROVE, MN, USA
N5357Q
CESSNA 152
AFTER THE PLT & AN ACQUAINTANCE TOOK OFF ON A LOCAL FLT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING LOW OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ACFT'S WHEELS TOUCHED THE WATER AT ONE POINT. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO CLIMB & BEGIN CIRCLING A CHEMICAL PLANT, NEAR THE RIVER, WHERE PRODUCTION LIGHTING WAS BEING USED TO FILM A DOCUMENTARY AT DUSK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENTERED A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & CRASHED IN A NEARBY WOODED AREA ON THE RIVER BLUFF. A SHORT TIME AFTER THE ACDNT, MEDICAL PERSONNEL ARRIVED & PROVIDED ASSISTANCE. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. AS THE OCCUPANTS WERE BEING REMOVED FROM THE ACDNT SITE, THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL WAS NOTED. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE PLT HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.143% (143 MG/DL) & THE PASSENGER HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL OF 0.186% (186 MG/DL).
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL; AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH WOODED/HILLY TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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