A Pilot Asks for Tragedy

A pilot with a shocking disregard for personal safety comes to his inevitable demise.

Peter Garrison

Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 12:31 AM ET

Verified

Piper PA-32 Turbo Saratoga Courtesy Piper

Key Takeaways:

An unqualified pilot, holding only a student certificate and lacking an instrument rating, crashed his aircraft after attempting to descend through IFR conditions despite ATC warnings.
Toxicology reports indicated the presence of cocaine and alcohol byproducts in the pilot's system at the time of the crash.
Further investigation revealed the pilot had falsified his flight hours and credentials, and his student certificate had previously been revoked for flying under the influence and reckless behavior.
The NTSB determined the probable cause to be the pilot's impaired judgment and overconfidence, compounded by substance use and a history of disregard for aviation safety.

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The Piper Turbo Saratoga departed Dallas Addison Airport (ADS) a few minutes after noon on an unseasonably warm December day. The pilot did not file a flight plan, and his destination is unknown. At 1327, the pilot radioed Kansas City Center for flight following, reporting his altitude as 11,500 feet. At 1400, the pilot reported that he was descending to 3,500 feet.

The controller asked the pilot whether he was above an overcast and needed a clearance to descend through it. The pilot replied, “No, we’re on top of the overcast. I think we can get down through it, get on down where we need to be.”