Piper PA-25-235 N82509 accident near Lamar, Missouri

Probable cause

The pilot's in-flight loss of control, which was likely due to a sudden cardiac event.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was demonstrating proficiency in the airplane and in aerial agricultural application operations, and he had completed about seven takeoffs and landings without any apparent difficulty before the accident. The airplane was then loaded with water for additional practice application passes to a field adjacent to the airport. The pilot departed and completed one pass, after which, the airplane pitched up and rolled into a bank, descended, and impacted a field about 1/2 mile north of the airport. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. The pilot initially survived the accident, but died at a local hospital about 1 hour later. Although the autopsy report noted the presence of blunt trauma, the pilot's death was attributed to a cardiac arrhythmia related to coronary atherosclerosis. It is likely that the pilot suffered a sudden cardiac event during the flight, which led to the crash. Although the postmortem toxicology testing revealed the presence of lidocaine, it was most likely from postaccident treatment and, therefore, was not in the pilot's system before the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13FA259 for the full record.