Piper PA32 N2750Q accident near Crisfield, Maryland

Probable cause

The pilot's sudden incapacitation from an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia while on final approach, which resulted in descent and collision with trees and terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed with the intention of remaining in the traffic pattern to perform one full-stop night landing before proceeding on a planned instrument flight rules cross-country flight. After takeoff, he remained in the traffic pattern and turned onto the final approach leg. He last recalled being about 1 mile from the runway threshold, then had a brief recollection of trees being in the cockpit. He awoke several hours later, exited the wreckage of the airplane, and walked to his house, where help was summoned. He reported that, to the best of his knowledge, there was no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction.

The pilot's description was consistent with unwitnessed temporary loss of consciousness during the landing approach. While there was no toxicology to support an alternative cause, a cardiac evaluation 2 months after the accident revealed that the pilot had intermittent complete heart block with prolonged pauses between heartbeats, which can lead to fainting. Additional cardiac tests showed normal coronary arteries but revealed that the pilot had cardiac sarcoidosis.

The pilot denied having syncopal events prior to the accident and reported no symptoms before losing consciousness. His medical records contained no mention of any sarcoid disease. Given the natural course of cardiac sarcoidosis, the pilot's sudden incapacitation from complete heart block would not have been predicted. Thus, it is likely that the pilot experienced sudden incapacitation from an undiagnosed arrhythmia.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA19LA197 for the full record.