Larchwood, IA, USA
N34WC
Walling Vans RV-3
After landing, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway into an adjacent corn field, where it nosed over and came to rest inverted. The canopy and vertical stabilizer were crushed. A toxicology screen revealed the presence of fluoxetine (Prozac, an antidepressant); norfluoxetine (a metabolite of fluoxetine); and trazodone (a tranquilizer). These drugs carry the warning that they may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks and are contraindicated for flight. On his most recent application for medical certification, the pilot did not report taking these medications. Although the presence of these medications and the conditions for which they were prescribed posed an increased hazard to flight safety, it could not be determined if the pilot was experiencing any side effects from the medications at the time of the accident. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
On March 28, 2012, about 1230 central daylight time, a Walling Vans RV-3, N34WC, collided with terrain shortly after landing on runway 30 at Zangger Vintage Airport (K2VA), Larchwood, Iowa. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight had originated from Marv Skie-Lincoln County Airport (KY14), Tea, South Dakota, about 1115. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who went to the site, the pilot had landed on runway 30, and the airplane went off the right side of the runway into an adjacent corn field. The airplane's main landing gear became mired in soft earth and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The canopy and vertical stabilizer were crushed. The pilot was strapped securely in his seat via a five-point restraint system. The pilot was a 57-year-old physician. He held a third class airman medical certificate, dated February 27, 2012, with no restrictions or limitations. On his application for medical certification, he did not report taking fluoxetine or trazodone. A toxicology screen performed by FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) indicated 1.509 (ug/mL, ug/g) fluoxetine (Prozac) and 0.866 (ug/mL, ug/g) norfluoxetine were detected in Illiac blood. Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine were also detected in urine. In addition, Trazodone was detected in both Illiac blood and urine. According to CAMI's reference material, Fluoxetine is a prescription antidepressant and is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Its active metabolite is norfluoxetine. The FAA may issue a special issuance of a medical certificate for pilots on this medication after a thorough evaluation and ongoing close follow-up of the condition. Trazodone is a prescription antidepressant that selectively inhibits serotonin uptake. It is contradicted for flying. According to the CAMI's reference material, all reported substances carry the warning: "May impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery)." According to previous medical certificate applications, the pilot did report a history of anxiety and situational depression while he was in medical school (1994), and he was treated for 12 months with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The condition was eventually resolved and the pilot was found eligible for medical certification in 1997.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane after landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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