Cessna 177 N3185T

Summary

On 6 August 1991 at about 13:22 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N3185T, operated by Bernzen, George G., was involved in an accident near Hygiene, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 August 1991 at 13:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Hygiene, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N3185T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bernzen, George G.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Boulder → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN91FA110

1 person died.

SUICIDE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT MADE A DISTRESS CALL, GIVING HIS POSITION AND SAYING THAT HE WAS 'GOING IN.' THE WEATHER WAS VFR. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 5600 FT MOUNTAIN AT THE 5530 FT LEVEL IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A STEEP ROCK WALLED AREA OF THE MOUNTAIN AT HIGH SPEED. THE ENGINE CONTROLS WERE POSITIONED FOR POWERED FLIGHT. THE PILOT LEFT HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, MEDICAL HISTORY, AND HIS WIFE'S DEATH CERTIFICATE IN HIS PARKED CAR. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL HISTORY INDICATED HIS DEPRESSION OVER THE RECENT DEATH OF HIS WIFE & HIS CONCERN ABOUT DETERIORATING HEALTH. THE PILOT'S SON SAID HIS FATHER PLANNED TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN HIS AIRPLANE. A DEATH CERTIFICATE, ISSUED BY THE COUNTY CORONER, LISTED THE PILOT'S DEATH AS A 'SUICIDE.' TOXICOLOGY TEST RESULTS FROM THE PILOT'S LIVER & KIDNEY TISSUE INDICATED THE PRESENCE OF FLUOXETINE, WHICH IS AN INGREDIENT OF PROZAC (PRODUCT NAME), A PRESCRIPTION ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.