He tested negative for CO(Carbon Monoxide), unless I am missing something they are not indicating it was CO poisoning. Died of blunt force trauma. They could not examine the brain. Its speculation of course but it could have been a stroke?...something definitely impaired this fellow pilot. RIP
The NTSB has not issued a final report; there is no official Probable Cause yet.
Initially, I felt a bit skeptical that this case might be CO related, as the plane seemed rather "active"... I expected the flight would be a gradual descent into terrain that normally results when a modern, stable aircraft is left on its own. Looking back through some previous accident reports, though, such erratic flight does happen in CO cases.
LAX94LA184: "The review revealed that within 15 minutes of takeoff, while being radar vectored by Southern California terminal radar approach control (SOCAL TRACON), the aircraft began deviating slightly from assigned headings, altitudes, and the ground controller's instructions. As an example, while being radar vectored over the Los Angeles International Airport, the pilot performed several 360-degree turns. In response to the controller's inquiry, the pilot responded that he wanted to look at the city lights one last time before he left. The facilities which worked the flight in successive order reported that the aircraft was erratic in the course flown over an extended period of time, with the erratic behavior becoming progressively worse as the flight continued. The pilot seemed to have difficulty maintaining his orientation, drifted significantly off his assigned airways and headings, and had done several 360- and 180-degree turns. In the latter stages of the flight, the controllers reported that the pilot became more unresponsive to their attempts at radio contact and air traffic control (ATC) instructions."
CHI01FA052: "The radar data indicated the airplane's altitude remained between 8,700 and 8,500 feet mean sea level (msl) from the period between 1800:25 and 1808:52, but the airplane's heading was inconstant, first heading to the northwest, then heading to west and then to the south, and making a 360 degree turn before heading south again. The radar data indicated the airplane's altitude started descending from 8,500 feet msl at 1809:04 to an altitude of 2,000 feet msl recorded at 1821:08, which was the last radar return recorded. Between 1809:04 and 1821:08, the radar data indicated the airplane's flight path was a series of inconstant descending turns that took the airplane in an easterly direction."
ATL02LA035: "The airplane was observed to fly a circling maneuver, and then dive vertically into the ground with the engine running."
Looks like we average about one CO case a year.
Ron Wanttaja
