VFR encounter with IMC: Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser, N9626K, fatal accident occurred on August 26, 2024, near Wayne, Nebraska

• Location: Wayne, Nebraska
• Accident Number: CEN24FA327
• Date & Time: August 26, 2024, 09:31 Local
• Registration: N9626K
• Aircraft: Piper PA-28-140
• Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
• Defining Event: VFR encounter with IMC
• Injuries: 1 Fatal
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195002/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195002

On August 26, 2024, about 0931 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N9626K, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Wayne, Nebraska. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The non-instrument-rated pilot departed on a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight in visual meteorological conditions. Flight track data indicated that the airplane departed and flew northeast for about 15 minutes at altitudes less than 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) before entering a right turn with varying altitude, heading, and ground speed changes. A witness near the accident site stated that the clouds were about 100 ft agl when he heard the airplane fly over his house. Shortly thereafter, he heard the engine sound increase; the airplane impacted the ground and a postimpact fire ensued. The last flight track data point indicated the airplane was 1,030 ft agl, heading north at a ground speed of 51 knots. The accident site was located about 1,000 ft north-northwest of the last data point, about 27 nautical miles from the departure airport. 

The airplane impacted the ground in a steep descent and came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The wreckage debris path and propeller damage signatures, in addition to the witness statement, were consistent with the engine producing power at the time of impact. 

Review of weather information revealed conditions favorable for sustained, low-level cloud cover, but there were no AIRMETs in effect for instrument flight rules conditions. Although forecasts indicated few to scattered clouds around 600 ft agl, recorded weather conditions from the airport closest to the accident site indicated an overcast ceiling at 600 ft agl. Based on available weather information, it is likely that the accident pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions shortly after takeoff. The pilot’s friend stated that the pilot checked the weather on his tablet on the morning of the accident; however, there was no record of the pilot obtaining weather information from an access-controlled source such as Leidos Flight Service or ForeFlight. Therefore, the extent of the pilot’s preflight weather planning could not be determined. 

The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the non-instrument-rated pilot’s encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the loss of visual references, spatial disorientation, and loss of airplane control. 

The pilot’s postmortem toxicology results indicated he had used the sedating antihistamine medication diphenhydramine and may have been experiencing associated impairing effects at the time of the accident. It is possible that his diphenhydramine use might have increased his susceptibility to spatial disorientation. No blood was available for testing, and more specific conclusions about diphenhydramine effects could not be drawn from the toxicology results in tissue. Visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions by a non-instrument-rated pilot carries a high risk of spatial disorientation even in the absence of impairment. Overall, whether the pilot’s use of diphenhydramine contributed to the accident could not be determined.

One laboratory detected ethanol at a high level in a brain tissue specimen, while another laboratory did not detect ethanol in brain or muscle tissue specimens. In the setting of extensive injuries, the detected ethanol likely was from postmortem sources, rather than alcohol consumption. It is unlikely that ethanol effects contributed to the accident.

- Probable Cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.

Medical event: Eurocopter AS 350B3+ Ecureuil, N617GC, fatal accident occurred on December 16, 2024, near Potrero, California

• Location: Potrero, California 
• Accident Number: WPR25FA062 
• Date & Time: December 16, 2024, 10:30 Local 
• Registration: N617GC 
• Aircraft: AMERICAN EUROCOPTER LLC AS350B3 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Medical event 
• Injuries: 1 Fatal 
• Flight Conducted Under: Public aircraft

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199430/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199430

On December 16, 2024, about 1030 Pacific standard time, an American Eurocopter AS350 B3 helicopter, N617GC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Potrero, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a public use aircraft.

The pilot was scheduled to conduct a routine Customs and Border Protection (CBP) airsupport mission after several days of sick leave. Flight track data indicated that, after about 1.5 hours of flight, the helicopter entered a series of turns and a rapid descent. The final flight track point was about 820 ft above ground level and about 280 ft from the accident site. No further flight track data were available, and no eyewitnesses or surveillance video captured the accident flight. 

A signal from an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was received by a central rescue coordination center operated by the United States military, a typical routing procedure for ELT signals. The United States military subsequently communicated the detection to a division within the helicopter operator responsible for monitoring aircraft and receiving ELT signals. Without delays, the earliest a helicopter could have reached the accident site was about 10 minutes. The response was delayed by the time required to relay the ELT information among the responding organizations and by uncertainty concerning the coordinates supplied to the search crews, who located the wreckage about 53 minutes after the ELT began transmitting. A CBP emergency medical technician began CPR about 4 minutes later. The pilot’s autopsy identified a complete transection of the high cervical spinal cord, which would have prevented spontaneous breathing. The pilot also sustained multiple full-thickness heart lacerations and numerous other severe injuries. An NTSB medical analysis determined that the pilot’s injuries likely would have been rapidly fatal and that survival would have been highly unlikely even with an optimal rescue response. Therefore, the response time likely did not affect the pilot’s survivability. 

Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The weather was clear with light wind, and the pilot made no radio transmissions reporting a problem or distress. For about the first 1.5 hours of the accident flight, flight track data indicated the pilot was actively and effectively controlling the helicopter while flying alone. The helicopter then entered a series of turns and a rapid descent that did not appear consistent with the preceding flight path or a normal approach to landing. The helicopter’s flight track, descent rate, and accident-site signatures indicated that it impacted the ground at a high rate of descent with substantial leftside loading in visual flight conditions without adverse wind. The available flight track data did not show a recovery attempt before the track ended. Given the absence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction, adverse weather, an external collision, or evidence of an intentional maneuver, pilot incapacitation was the most plausible explanation for the loss of contro

The Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD) recorded a main-rotor-speed exceedance of 466 rpm. The manufacturer determined that the exceedance was not associated with an engine power-turbine overspeed and was likely associated with main-rotor desynchronization (i.e., autorotation) during descent. Because no flight-control or cockpit recordings were available, the investigation could not determine the pilot’s control inputs or the circumstances that produced the exceedance. 

An NTSB medical analysis identified severe multivessel coronary artery disease and evidence of prior heart-muscle damage, which significantly increased the pilot’s risk of a sudden impairing or incapacitating cardiovascular event. Although the autopsy did not identify evidence that such an event occurred, an autopsy cannot exclude a sudden cardiovascular event. Heart-rhythm disturbances generally leave no identifiable autopsy evidence, and a heart attack or stroke may leave no such evidence if it occurs shortly before death.

Alternatively, the pilot may have fallen asleep. Before the crash, the helicopter had been operating at a relatively stable altitude and a generally consistent track. The pilot had recently used diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine that can cause drowsiness. His recent respiratory illness also may have increased fatigue or sleepiness. However, available evidence was insufficient to determine whether the pilot experienced a cardiovascular event, fell asleep, or became incapacitated for another reason. 

In accordance with CBP procedures, a clearance authority stationed at another base approved the flight. The clearance authority had no aviation background and would not have been familiar with the pilot’s normal demeanor. The required risk assessment did not address illness, medication use, or other human factors challenges, and the clearance authority did not know the pilot well enough to compare his demeanor with his usual behavior. However, the pilot reported that he had recovered from a cold, felt well, and had no symptoms other than a hoarse voice. The investigation could not determine when he used diphenhydramine or whether the clearance process could have identified or mitigated the condition that led to the loss of control. Therefore, the evidence was insufficient to identify the clearance decision as a contributing factor. 

Based on the available evidence, the pilot likely lost control of the helicopter after becoming incapacitated. The pilot’s cardiovascular disease increased his risk of a sudden incapacitating cardiovascular event, while his use of diphenhydramine and recent illness may have increased his risk of falling asleep. The available evidence was insufficient to determine the specific cause of his incapacitation.

- Probable Cause:The pilot’s loss of control during cruise flight due to incapacitation for reasons that could not be determined.

Loss of control in flight: Apex Cross 5X, N223CL, fatal accident occurred on September 2, 2024, near Columbus, Nebraska

• Location: Columbus, Nebraska 
• Accident Number: CEN24LA332 
• Date & Time: September 2, 2024, 12:15 Local 
• Registration: N223CL 
• Aircraft: APEX CROSS-5X 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Loss of control in flight 
• Injuries: 1 Fatal 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal 

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195042/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195042

On September 2, 2024, about 1215 central standard time, an Apex Cross-5X weight-shiftcontrol aircraft, N223CL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Columbus, Nebraska. The non-certificated pilot sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The non-certificated pilot departed from a private grass airstrip on his second flight in the weight-shift-control aircraft. According to a witness, the aircraft departed and flew low to the ground. There were no witnesses to the impact with the roof of the garage near the airstrip. The aircraft came to rest inverted and partially imbedded in the roof of the garage. 

Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed signatures consistent with impact damage. All three propeller blades separated about midspan consistent with rotation at the time of impact. There were no mechanical anomalies with the aircraft, engine, or related systems that would have precluded normal operation. 

The pilot did not have any flight training or flight experience other than the accident flight and the one before it. It was unlawful for the pilot to perform a solo flight in the aircraft. 

Postmortem toxicological testing identified potentially impairing drugs. As the non-certificated pilot was operating the aircraft outside the guardrails of federal regulations, detailed evaluation of the toxicological results was not within the scope of this investigation.

- Probable Cause: The non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain control of the aircraft after takeoff.

Medical event: Cessna 150L, N11519, fatal accident occurred on October 18, 2024, at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL/KGVL), Gainesville, Georgia

• Location: Gainesville, Georgia 
• Accident Number: ERA25LA019 
• Date & Time: October 18, 2024, 18:26 Local 
• Registration: N11519 Aircraft: Cessna 150 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Medical event 
• Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195345/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195345

On October 18, 2024, at 1826 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150L airplane, N11519, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Gainesville, Georgia. The pilot became incapacitated while in flight and later died. The passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot was approaching the destination airport following a short cross-country flight when he became incapacitated. The passenger reported that the pilot became unresponsive to her calling out to him. The passenger, who had no prior flight experience, reported that the pilot had already announced his intention to land on the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) and that she could see the airport when she took control of the airplane. Witnesses reported that she transmitted “emergency, emergency” on the CTAF. Although other pilots responded and offered assistance, she made no additional transmissions. 

FAA flight track data showed that after overflying the airport, the passenger made three unsuccessful landing attempts before landing on runway 5 on the fourth attempt. The last flight track data point showed the airplane about 250 ft southwest of the runway 05 threshold on a northeasterly track at a ground speed of 108 knots. The airplane impacted the runway nose first, collapsing the nose landing gear, and slid along the runway. A small fire subsequently developed near the forward portion of the airplane, and the lower forward fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot was transported to a local hospital, where he died two days later. 

Based on the available medical evidence, the pilot’s sudden incapacitation was likely due to inflight cardiac arrest. The pilot had significant underlying heart disease, including coronary artery disease and heart damage from a previous heart attack. Toxicological testing identified no impairing substances. An autopsy was not performed. FAA records showed that the pilot had met the applicable BasicMed requirements for the flight.

- Probable Cause: The pilot’s sudden incapacitation due to an in-flight cardiac arrest, which necessitated a landing by a non-pilot passenger and resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose landing gear.