American Champion 8GCBC N273MA

Summary

On 18 November 2010 at about 00:35 local time, a American Champion 8GCBC registered N273MA, operated by Richard E. Nims, was involved in an accident near Bremerton, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 November 2010 at 00:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Bremerton, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Bremerton National Airport (KPWT)

Coordinates

47.5333, -122.7853

Aircraft

American Champion 8GCBC

Registration

N273MA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard E. Nims

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bremerton → Bremerton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

WPR11FA061

1 person died.

The pilot did not maintain clearance from terrain for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s use of oxycodone and his severe coronary artery disease.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Radar data showed the airplane 3 miles south of the airport on an easterly heading when it turned right and continued to track to the north; radar data terminated about 4 miles northwest of the airport near the accident location. Search-and-rescue personnel found the wreckage in a heavily wooded remote area of mountainous terrain at the 1,300-foot level. Freshly scarred branches and limbs indicated the first point of contact with a series of trees. Wreckage signatures and tree/ground scars were consistent with level flight. According to a certified flight instructor (CFI), the pilot purchased the airplane about 1 month before the accident. The CFI flew the airplane with the pilot for about 26 hours. The CFI reported that he did not endorse the pilot’s logbook and recommended that the pilot find a local instructor for further training. A postaccident toxicological examination showed elevated levels of acetaminophen, metoprolol, and oxycodone in the pilot’s blood and urine. Warnings associated with oxycodone include “may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery).” However, the available data was inconclusive about whether the pilot was impaired by the oxycodone. Severe coronary artery disease was found during autopsy, and that, combined with the presence of oxycodone, may have contributed to the accident, but the evidence is inconclusive about whether they were causal.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.