NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 22, 2013, about 1830 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N61954, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while maneuvering near Shannon Airport (EZF), Fredericksburg, Virginia. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The local personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The airplane was operated by a flight school located at EZF. A flight instructor who worked for the flight school stated that he had met the event flight pilot about 3 months prior, and had performed a checkout flight with the pilot so that he could rent the flight school's airplanes. The pilot had subsequently flown the school's airplanes several times between the date of the checkout and the event flight.

About 1754 on the day of the flight, the pilot utilized the flight school's internet-based computerized scheduling system to reserve the flight in the airplane, with the stated intention of completing "pattern work." He arrived at the airport shortly thereafter. The flight instructor who had previously flown with the pilot was at the flight school at the time, preparing for an upcoming flight with another student. According to the flight instructor, he and the pilot had a brief conversation about work, their recent flying activities, and the current weather conditions. The flight instructor reported that the pilot seemed to be in good spirits and was not otherwise behaving abnormally. After retrieving the paperwork required to check-out the airplane, and obtaining the keys from where they were normally secured, the pilot said goodbye to the instructor and proceeded to the airplane.

About that time, local law enforcement had been advised by the pilot's fiancée that she believed he intended to commit suicide, based on her previous interactions with him and a note she discovered in her home. The pilot's fiancée arrived at the airport as the pilot was walking to the airplane, and following a brief altercation, the pilot boarded the airplane and took off. Sheriff's deputies then arrived at the airport, and observed the brief flight along with the pilot's fiancée and the flight instructor.

After taking off, the pilot performed a low pass down the runway and then began maneuvering erratically in the vicinity of the airport. The pilot then climbed to an estimated altitude of 3,000 feet before he pitched down and descended in a near-vertical attitude. During the descent, the engine sounded as if it were producing "full" power, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground about 200 feet northwest of the runway and erupted into flames.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 22, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. According to records provided by the operator, the pilot had accumulated about 165 total hours of flight experience as of May 2013. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration first-class medical certificate was issued on February 19, 2011 with the limitation, "must wear corrective lenses."

According to personal medical records, the pilot had been diagnosed with "severe recurrent major depression" about 7 weeks prior to the accident. The pilot was subsequently prescribed an anti-depressant and advised to seek counseling.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The weather conditions reported at EZF at 1835 included, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds at 3,700, 4,400, and 6,000 feet, a temperature of 32 degrees C, a dew point of 23 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.77 inches of mercury. The winds were not reported.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest inverted and a post-impact fire consumed the fuselage. The engine was embedded approximately 4 feet in the ground. The left and right wings were crushed aft, uniformly along their entire span. Both fuel tanks had ruptured, and the upper wing skins covering the fuel tanks were found approximately 60 feet in front of the fuselage.

Partial control cable continuity was established due to fragmentation of the wreckage and cable cuts made by recovery personnel. The left and right aileron bell crank assemblies were separated from the wings which were impact and fire damaged. The aileron cables remained attached to the bell cranks and were continuous to the forward floor assembly area where they had been cut by first responders. The aileron carry through cable remained continuous from the left to the right aileron bell crank. Elevator control cable continuity was established from the forward bell crank assembly, which was impact separated from the base of the control column, to the aft bell crank assembly; one elevator cable was fractured in tension overload in the forward floor assembly area. Rudder control cable continuity was established from the aft rudder bell crank assembly to the forward floor assembly area where the cables had been cut by first responders. Elevator trim control cable continuity was established from the aft tail cone to the forward drive chain assembly, which was separated from the fire-damaged control wheel. One of the elevator trim cables had been cut by first responders in the forward floor assembly area.

The left and right fuel tanks displayed hydraulic deformation. The fuel selector handle was separated from the fuel selector valve. The fuel selector detent ball created a metal smear witness mark on the top of the fuel selector valve indicating the valve was in the "Both" position at the time of impact.

The engine sustained significant impact-related damage. The top four spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal color and wear. The starter ring gear was bent aft and wrapped around the crankcase, which prevented manual rotation of the crankshaft.

The propeller had separated from the crankshaft propeller flange at its mounting points. One propeller blade was fractured and separated from the hub. Both propeller blades exhibited twisting, leading edge damage, and chordwise scratches.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Department of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Virginia. The listed cause of death was "blunt force trauma." The manner of death was determined to be suicide.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing on the pilot. The testing detected the presence of ethanol in the muscle and liver samples submitted in concentrations of 67 and 31 milligrams per deciliter, respectively. The testing also detected an unquantified amount of Citalopram and Di-N-desmethylcitalopram in the liver and muscle samples submitted.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's intentional descent into the ground to commit suicide.