Cessna T210L N2546S

Summary

On 5 March 1998 at about 13:57 local time, a Cessna T210L registered N2546S was involved in an accident near Orleans, Indiana, 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

5 March 1998 at 13:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Orleans, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

French Lick (FRH)

Coordinates

38.6592, -86.4491

Aircraft

Cessna T210L

Registration

N2546S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Indianapolis → French Lick

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98FA099

1 person died.

The pilot's attempted VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance with trees. Contributing factors were the pilot's impairment from prescription drugs, low ceilings, fog, trees, and hilly terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot departed Indianapolis, IN, for French Lick, IN, to pick up passengers. The airplane crashed 12 miles northwest of the intended destination. The wreckage was located the following afternoon in a wooded area near the crest of a hill. Local weather at the time of the accident was reported to be 100 foot overcast with 1/8 mile visibility due to fog. The aircraft initially contacted 25-30 foot high trees and the wreckage distribution was observed to be 500-600 feet in length. Toxicological examination of samples from the pilot revealed The toxicological examination of the specimens taken revealed: 193 ug/ml Diazepam was detected in blood, 212 ug/ml Nordiazepam was detected in the blood, 1.2 ug/ml Acetaminophen was detected in blood, Temazepam was detected in blood, Buspirone was detected in blood, Oxymetazoline was detected in blood, Nordiazepam was detected in urine, Temazepam was detected in urine, Oxazepam was detected in urine, Buspirone was detected in urine, Oxymetazoline was detected in urine, 125.2 ug/ml Acetaminophen was detected in urine, Diazepam is a prescription tranquilizer commonly used to treat anxiety or muscle spasms. Nordiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam are metabolites of diazepam. Buspirone is a prescription tranquilizer used to treat anxiety. Oxymetazoline is a common ingredient used in over-the-counter nasal decongestants and eye drops. Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter painkiller and fever reducer. Broken prescription bottles and a pill container were located in the wreckage along with numerous pills. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Great Lakes Region Medical Division, pilots are prohibited from operating aircraft while taking Diazepam and/or Buspirone.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.