NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 22, 2014, at 0400 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8309L, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it collided with powerlines, during a forced landing to a highway in Safety Harbor, Florida, near Saint Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, while a second passenger was seriously injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned flight to PIE. The flight departed John C Tune Airport (JWN), Nashville, Tennessee at 2338 eastern daylight time on March 21, 2014. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot completed an earlier leg of the long cross-country flight uneventfully, from Campbell Airport (C81), Grayslake, Illinois to JWN. During the second leg, the pilot radioed a "fuel emergency" to air traffic control at 0359:36. The controller queried the pilot twice as to his request and at 0400:03, the pilot replied "landing on the highway sir, fuel emergency." No further transmissions were received from the accident airplane. The airplane subsequently impacted powerlines about 6 miles north of PIE.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on October 31, 2013. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 1,549 hours; of which, 64 hours were flown during the previous 6 months. The pilot's logbook was not recovered. He had owned the accident airplane since 2007.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, low-wing, fixed tricycle-gear airplane, serial number 28-8190112, was manufactured in 1980. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360, 180-horsepower engine, equipped with a Sensenich fixed-pitch propeller. Review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that its most recent annual inspection was completed on November 1, 2013. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 9,221 total hours of operation. The engine had accumulated 5,672 total hours; of which, 1,420 hours were since the most recent major overhaul that was completed in 2007. According to the tachometer, the airplane had flown about 21.6 hours since the most recent annual inspection.

Review of a pilot operating handbook for the make and model airplane revealed that the airplane was equipped with two 25-gallon fuel tanks, one in each wing, for a total fuel capacity of 50 gallons (48 useable). The airplane was completely fueled with 44 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation gasoline prior to departing JWN.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The recorded weather at PIE, at 0353, was: wind 030 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 19 degrees C; dew point 16 degrees C; altimeter 30.01 inches Hg.

There was no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing for the accident flight, or previous leg, from flight service or the direct user access terminal system.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The wreckage came to rest upright, nose-down, oriented on a southeasterly heading, on a highway beneath the powerlines. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The engine and cockpit area were crushed inward and the cabin roof had separated. The cabin roof, where the top of the cockpit door met the cabin, exhibited an impact mark consistent with a wire strike. The impact mark was a similar size to an approximate 1.25-inch-thick aluminum powerline that had separated during the impact, causing a power outage in the area. The aluminum power line had been located about 160 feet above the highway and oriented perpendicular to it.

The leading edge of the left wing exhibited impact damage. The left main fuel tank remained intact and approximately 4 ounces of fuel were recovered from it by an FAA inspector. The left aileron and flap remained attached. The right wing was undamaged with the exception of a partial separation of the right flap and the right fuel tank was compromised at its fuel drain. During recovery, the FAA inspector observed some drops of fuel dripping from the right tank, but the tank otherwise did not contain an appreciable quantity of fuel. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left main fuel tank.

The four seats and their respective seatbelts remained intact, including the pilot's shoulder harness. The seatbelts had been unlatched by rescue personnel and the pilot's shoulder harness had separated with the cabin roof; however, when tested both front seat and rear seat seatbelts latched and unlatched without difficulty. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all control surfaces to the mid-cabin area.

The propeller was removed from the engine to facilitate crankshaft rotation. The top spark plugs were also removed. Their electrodes were intact and light gray in color. The crankshaft was then rotated by hand. Camshaft, crankshaft, and valve train continuity were confirmed to the rear accessory section. Thumb compression was attained on all cylinders. The carburetor bowl drain plug was removed from the carburetor and approximately 1 ounce of fuel was drained. The fuel was light blue, clear, and consistent with 100 low-lead aviation gasoline.

A handheld Garmin 496 GPS was recovered from the cockpit and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, D.C. Data were successfully downloaded from the unit and plotted. The plots revealed that at 1930, the airplane departed C81 and proceeded uneventfully to JWN at 2312. After fuel was purchased, the flight departed JWN at 2338.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the State of Florida, District Six Medical Examiner's Office, Largo, Florida, on March 22, 2014. The cause of death was noted as blunt trauma.

Toxicology testing was performed by the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. No ethanol was detected in vitreous. Cocaine was detected in cavity blood (0.024 ug/ml), urine (7.301 ug/ml), and liver (0.078 ug/g). Benzoylecgonine, an inactive cocaine metabolite, was detected in cavity blood (0.638 ug/ml), urine (109.404 ug/ml), and liver (0.994 ug/g). Ecgonine methyl ester, another inactive cocaine metabolite, was detected in cavity blood, urine, and liver. Cocaethylene, an active metabolite of cocaine only produced when ethanol is also ingested, was detected in cavity blood, urine (0.775 ug/ml), and liver. Anhydroecgonine methyl ester, a metabolite of smoked cocaine, was detected in liver and urine but not in the cavity blood. Levamisole was detected in the cavity blood and urine.

Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant. Initial effects include: euphoria, excitation, general arousal, dizziness, increased focus and alertness. At higher doses, effects may include psychosis, confusion, delusions, hallucinations, fear, antisocial behavior, and aggressiveness. Late effects, beginning within 1 to 2 hours after use, include: dysphoria, depression, agitation, nervousness, drug craving, general central nervous system depression, fatigue, and insomnia. Additional performance effects are expected after higher doses, with chronic ingestion, and during drug withdrawal including agitation, anxiety, distress, inability to focus on divided attention tasks, inability to follow directions, confusion, hostility, time distortion, and poor balance and coordination.

Cocaine's therapeutic range in blood is from 0.12 to 0.27 ug/ml and its half-life is from 0.7 to 1.5 hours. Cocaine is rapidly metabolized by the body into inactive compounds including benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester.

Cocaethylene is produced in the body when cocaine and ethanol are ingested together. This biologically active molecule is nearly as psychoactive as cocaine.

Anhydroecgonine methyl ester is formed when cocaine is smoked. This unique product is not biologically active but can be used as an indicator of smoked cocaine, or "crack" use.

ADDITIONAL INFORMAITON

Further review of performance information revealed that at 75 percent power, the airplane's engine consumed about 10.5 gallons of gasoline per hour with the mixture leaned to best power. That consumption resulted in an endurance of approximately 4 hours, 35 minutes and did not account for fuel used during taxi, takeoff, and climb.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to cocaine use.