Cessna T206H N663HP

Summary

On 7 May 2010 at about 16:44 local time, a Cessna T206H registered N663HP, operated by California Highway Patrol, was involved in an accident near Borrego Springs, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 2010 at 16:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Borrego Springs, California, United States

Nearest airport

Jacqueline Cochran Regional A (KTRM)

Coordinates

33.0350, -116.1183

Aircraft

Cessna T206H

Registration

N663HP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

California Highway Patrol

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Thermal → Thermal

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10GA231

1 person died.

The pilot suffered a sudden incapacitating event as a result of his severe cardiovascular disease.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Representatives of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) stated that the CHP pilot was performing traffic surveillance activities with numerous ground units. The officers decided to transfer their activities to another location, and they reported that about 40 minutes after the mission was to be finished, the pilot had not checked in. About 6 hours later, the wreckage of the airplane was located at approximately 1,100 feet mean sea level (msl) on the east face of a 1,500-foot desert mountain. Recorded radar data showed that the autopilot-equipped airplane initially flew along a highway at 1,600 feet msl to the north and then changed direction to the southwest about 20 minutes after the mission was to be finished. The airplane then proceeded on a steady course of 225 degrees magnetic at 1,200 feet msl directly toward rising mountainous terrain. The final radar return occurred 3 minutes later, 1.7 miles northeast of the accident location. The accident location was directly on the extended course line of 225 degrees from the last radar return, at the 1,070-foot elevation level. The pilot’s autopsy report noted severe atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and evidence of a scarring from a prior heart attack. Toxicology testing did not detect any drugs or medications in the tissue evaluated. The pilot had autopsy evidence of severe heart disease, and radar track information was consistent with the autopilot controlling the airplane with an absence of pilot control inputs. There was no indication in the pilot’s medical records that he was aware of any heart disease. The pilot had spinal surgery approximately 1 year prior to the accident, and did have continual intermittent mild to moderate spinal pain, with a recent exacerbation of that pain, but it is unlikely that the pain was sufficiently distracting or impairing to have resulted in the complete absence of control .

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.