Wheeler EXPRESS SERIES 2000 N625J

Summary

On 22 April 2019 at about 13:15 local time, a Wheeler EXPRESS SERIES 2000 registered N625J was involved in an accident near Cleveland, North Carolina, 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

22 April 2019 at 13:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Cleveland, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.7550, -80.6350

Aircraft

Wheeler EXPRESS SERIES 2000

Registration

N625J

Category

Airplane

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Statesville → Mocksville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19FA154

1 person died.

A loss of control and impact with terrain while maneuvering.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed in the experimental amateur-built airplane in visual meteorological conditions for a flight to another airport for an avionics upgrade. Shortly after departure, a witness reported that he heard an airplane’s engine and that, when he saw the airplane it quickly rolled inverted. Another witness located close to the accident site reported that he saw the airplane heading straight down. He heard loud engine noises that changed pitch, and then the airplane fell below a tree line and did not reappear. The disposition of the wreckage was consistent with the airplane impacting terrain with significant energy and at a steep vertical angle. All the airplane’s major components were accounted for at the accident site and examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s manual contained a statement warning against performing aerobatics in the airplane, and specifically warned that the airplane would rapidly build speed when in a nose down attitude. Based on the witness statements that describe maneuvers (the airplane rolling inverted) and a steep descent toward the ground prior to the accident, it is possible that the pilot was maneuvering the airplane before losing control and impacting the ground in a rapid descent. Based on the results of postmortem toxicological testing, the pilot was taking the sedating antihistamine diphenhydramine. This over the counter drug carries the warning that use may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks. Compared to other antihistamines, diphenhydramine causes marked sedation. However, no blood was available for testing, and the investigation was unable to determine if the pilot had impairing levels of the potentially impairing medication diphenhydramine in his body around the time of the accident. It is likely that some or all of the ethanol identified by the toxicological testing was from sources other than ingestion.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.