ST. CHARLES, MO, USA
N200LT
BELL 206B
WHILE MANEUVERING OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH UNMARKED POWER TRANSMISSION LINES AND CRASHED INTO THE RIVER BELOW. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGICAL EXAM REVEALED A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 114 MG/DL. IN ADDITION, THE TOX WAS POSITIVE FOR CHLORPHENIRAMINE AND PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE IN THE URINE, A COMBINATION COMMONLY FOUND IN NON-PRESCRIPTION ALLERGY/SINUS HEADACHE MEDICINES SUCH AS ALLEREST, CONTAC, AND CHLOR-TRIMETON. WARNINGS PLACED ON ALLEREST STATE THAT THE MEDICATION 'MAY CAUSE DROWSINESS; ALCOHOL, SEDATIVES, AND TRANQUILIZERS MAY INCREASE THE DROWSINESS EFFECT...USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE OR OPERATING MACHINERY.'
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE WIRES, AND HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE EFFECT OF THE ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT WAS THE MEDICINE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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