The pilot was flying the Piper PA24-250 with two passengers on board to search for lost cattle in mountainous terrain near Collbran, Colo. Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude. It was reported overdue, and the wreckage was subsequently located in a sparsely wooded area. All three on board died in the crash.
An onboard GPS unit depicted the airplane flying several north and south legs at altitudes ranging between 300 and 500 feet above ground level before the recording ended. The plane hit terrain in an extreme nose-low attitude with lateral distortion of the empennage.
The wreckage evidence indicated that the pilot likely failed to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent impact with terrain.
Toxicology testing revealed the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol in the lung and tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid in the liver and lung, which suggested the recent use of marijuana; however, insufficient evidence existed to determine whether the pilot was impaired by its use at the time of the accident.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent impact with terrain.
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA084
This December 2013 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
BJS, I agree, and the Comanche is not exactly a deer hunting plane. NTSB also failed to mention if those jokers ever found their cattle. Sad story.
I have no knowledge of smoking grass and flying at altitude, but I do have experience with alcohol and altitude. I felt I needed the knowledge. I had my plane flown by a friend and I as a passenger after my consumption of two beer. The altitude issue presented itself fairly soon after we got 3k’ AGL. I tried to fly a coordinated set of maneuvers and had trouble doing so. I would imagine that grass would be have the same affect. A Comanche is not the best craft for hunting lost cattle. I would have used a high wing Piper, Scout, Maule or Champ. Not fast but easy to fly with your head out of the cock pit.
Just another example of what tragedies the use of “harmless” cannabis creates. To fly in mountains, or flat lands for that matter, at 300 agl looking for cattle suggests either impairment from weed or impairment from dumb ass. I’m not surprised it was in Colorado.
Mary Jane is a fickle bitch. Alluring too. The NHTSA recently reviewed fatal highway crashes. While booze is dropping in popularity among dead drivers, the number of dead drivers impaired by MJ and other illegal drugs has exploded. One might wonder whether Colorado’s actions to embrace MJ for ‘recreational purposes’ might play in this accident, and in the apparently fatal attraction on the highways.
According to NHTSA “… even as drinking and driving continues to fall, use of illegal drugs or medicines that can affect road safety is climbing. The number of weekend nighttime drivers with evidence of drugs in their system climbed from 16.3 percent in 2007 to 20 percent in 2014. The number of drivers with marijuana in their system grew by nearly 50 percent.” See: http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2015/nhtsa-releases-2-impaired-driving-studies-02-2015
It’s interesting that in the NTSB Factual report it is noted that THC was detected in the pilot’s lungs “indicating recent use”, and that he had a “green, leafy material suggestive of marijuana” in his pocket. For whatever reason, the NTSB did not follow through. The report says “The substance was
not tested to confirm its identity.” Also of note was the pilot did not possess a commercial certificate, yet was flying the aircraft with the expectation of pay (i.e. ‘for hire’).
A unique feature of the docket for this accident is the absence of ANY records of conversations with family, friends, or any other person. Only physical records found on site, the toxicology report (which is damning!), and images of the crash are in this docket. It looks like anyone associated with the pilot and passengers (none of whom are named, there is no ‘operator report’ or other documentation of the flight) refused to speak to investigators…