Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 150L near Forrest City, AR — 2021-10-31

Final reportCEN22LA024
Sign in to save
Date
2021-10-31
Location
Forrest City, AR, USA
Airport
FCY
Aircraft
CESSNA 150L
Registration
N6713G
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of control during landing. Contributing to the pilot’s injuries was his ejection from the airplane resulting from him not wearing his available seat restraints.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the pilot’s injuries was his ejection from the airplane resulting from him not wearing his available seat restraints.

NTSB narrative

According to the passenger, the airplane started to veer to the left once the pilot lowered the nosewheel onto the runway. The pilot asked the passenger if he was on the rudder pedals and the passenger responded that he was not. The pilot then stated that he could not slow the airplane down. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway into the grass and impacted a chain link fence that was parallel to the runway. The pilot was not wearing his seat restraints. He was ejected from the airplane and sustained fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. Examinations of the airplane’s flight controls, and brake assemblies did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. The pilot’s toxicology results indicate that he had used diphenhydramine and might have experienced some impairing cognitive effects from it at the time of the accident. Diphenhydramine’s potential for postmortem redistribution complicates more precise interpretation of the drug’s concentration in heart blood, although it is unlikely that the pilot followed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidance to wait 60 hours after using the drug before flying. The pilot’s lack of medical certification, the unairworthy condition of his airplane, and his decision not to wear his restraints indicate a chronic pattern of tolerating unsafe levels of risk. His diphenhydramine use might be a manifestation of that pattern, but it could not be determined if it significantly contributed to the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have worn seat restraints to prevent ejection during landing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

Related mishaps