Aero Commander S2R N8870Q accident near Center, Colorado

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during a low-level maneuver, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was conducting his sixth low-level agricultural application flight of the day. One witness reported that the airplane made a turn, appeared to stall at the top of the turn, and spiraled to the ground. Witnesses who responded immediately to the scene found the pilot unresponsive and assisted in removing him from the wreckage. Examination of the accident site indicated that the airplane impacted a wheat field in a vertical, nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's cell phone records indicated that the pilot was texting at times that coincided with some of the application flights, including the accident flight. However, there was insufficient information to determine whether airborne PED use played a role in the accident flight.

The toxicology testing on the pilot was positive for diphenhydramine, which is potentially impairing; however, it is unlikely that the pilot was significantly impaired by the small amount of drug found in his system. Exposure to the chemicals that the pilot was applying on the day of the accident can lead to various topical, airway, or neurological symptoms; however, there were no reports that the pilot complained of anything or displayed any unusual behavior on the day of the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN16FA328 for the full record.