NTSB Factual Report

On May 10, 1998, at 1430 central daylight time (cdt), an Alon A-2, N5482E, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with the ground and post-impact fire. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed Columbia, Illinois, at 1410 cdt.

The Jefferson County Missouri, Sheriff's Department deputy conducted interviews with witnesses who observed the airplane's maneuvering, descent, and ground collision. According to the deputy's report, the pilot's son said his father circled his home three times. He said that when the third circle was in process, the engine began to "...cut out and miss." According to the report, the pilot's son said his father was having trouble keeping the airplane in the air. The son said his father's airplane passed over his home, turned sideways, struck trees near his home and crashed onto the ground.

One witness said, "The plane appeared to be having trouble climbing in the air." As the airplane passed over the son's home, the witness said it "...banked turning sideways." According to the witness, the airplane was losing altitude as it circled the home for the last time. Another witness said N5482E "...circled the property several times, each time it got lower. On the last pass it hit the tops of my trees then crashed."

A third witness said the airplane was "...flying under 1,000 feet, flying at a slow rate of speed, making [an] approximate 30- degree turn. The engine was running when the right wing stalled, turning the plane upside down. The plane then nose dived to the ground." The last witness statment said the airplane was "...circling about 700 to 800 feet above when in a banking turn he seemed to lose it. The plane kind of did a nose dive."

The Federal Aviation Administration Principal Maintenance Inspector examined N5482E's wreckage. He stated there were no mechanical anomalies with the engine, airframe, or flight control system that would have prevented normal flight.

The Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aeromedical institute conducted a toxicological examination on the pilot. According to their report there was no carbonmonixde, drugs, or cyanide in the toxicologicl samples examined. The report stated there was 112 (mg/dL), mg/hg) ETHANOL detected in the urine, 84 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ETHANOL was detected in the vitreous fluids, 37 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ETHANOL was detected in the blood sample, 5 and 43 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ACETALDEHYDE was detected in the urine and blood respectively.

The pilot's autopsy was conducted by Dr. Mary Case, Chief Medical Examinaer, Jefferson County, Missouri.

NTSB Probable Cause

the failure of the pilot to maintain airplane control due to alcohol impairment.