Heisler LANCAIR LEGACY N151HT

Summary

On 18 October 2008 at about 20:00 local time, a Heisler LANCAIR LEGACY registered N151HT was involved in an accident near Parowan, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 October 2008 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Parowan, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Parowan (1L9)

Coordinates

37.8594, -112.8158

Aircraft

Heisler LANCAIR LEGACY

Registration

N151HT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Parowan → North Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09LA016

1 person died.

The pilot failed to secure the canopy prior to takeoff, resulting in his inability to control the aircraft during the takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from prescription medications and possible obstructive sleep apnea.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During departure, witnesses in the area reported that the airplane appeared unusually low and then entered a left turn. As the airplane entered the turn, items from the cockpit fell from the airplane. The airplane continued in the left turn until it impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The airplane, by design, does not have a cockpit indication for the security of the canopy. Structural documentation of the canopy latching mechanism did not reveal any damage to the latching mechanism, which is indicative of it not being latched when the airplane impacted the ground. Based on post-mortem toxicology results, the pilot had likely recently used two different prescription painkillers that commonly result in impairment, and that may increase risk of seizure, particularly when used together. Based on his height and weight, poorly controlled blood pressure in spite of the use of at least two different medications to lower it, and the presence on autopsy of right-sided heart enlargement, he likely had obstructive sleep apnea, a condition associated with fatigue and cognitive impairment. His response to a real or perceived emergency may have been impaired by the medications themselves, by a seizure induced by the medications, or by the effects of possible obstructive sleep apnea. The pilot did have a single blocked small coronary artery, but the condition had been present and evaluated just over two years prior to the accident, with evidence of good blood flow in spite of the blockage. It is unlikely that the blockage was related to the accident. The pilot had not indicated high blood pressure, use of medications to treat high blood pressure, or use of prescription painkillers on his most recent application for airman medical certificate just over 16 months prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.