Pilot Had History Of High Speed Passes, Low-Altitude Aerobatics

The NTSB says the pilot of an experimental RV-6 and former judge, Thomas B. Coggin, 66, died when his aircraft stalled and crashed in a field near Hartselle, AL just before 07:00 on July 24 of last year.

Coggin departed Cullman, AL between 06:30 and 06:45 the morning of the crash. VMC prevailed and he had not filed a flight plan.

One witness observed Coggin "buzzing the city of Hartselle" before lining up to land at the local airport. Another, a local homeowner who had observed Coggin making steep-banked turns at a low altitude, found the aircraft inverted in a field adjacent to his home. Coggin, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was fatally injured in the crash.

The aircraft impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. Investigators could find no pre-impact malfunctions that might have interfered with the safe operation of the aircraft.

Coggin was issued a private pilot certificate in 1997, but his medical was expired. He claimed 1,200 hours experience on his most recent medical application, but his log books couldn't be found for verification.

Weather at Huntsville International 13 NM south of the crash the time of the accident was reported wind calm, visibility 9 miles and clear skies with a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Forensic Pathologist for the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Huntsville, Alabama, conducted a postmortem examination of the pilot on July 25, 2006. The reported cause of death was "blunt force trauma." The Forensic Toxicology Research Section, Federal Aviation Administration, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, discovered evidence of alcohol in Coggin's blood and urine. The level measured, .061 percent, was above the limit allowed by the FAA for operation of an aircraft.

According to the report, several pilots from Coggin's home base stated that the deceased pilot often made high speed passes, and performed aerobatic maneuvers over and around the airport area, and runway.

According to the Hartselle Enquirer, Coggin was arrested in 1981 for possession of 98 pounds of marijuana and concealing a firearm in his boot after landing at Florida's Saint Lucie County Airport. Authorities were investigating a report of a low-flying aircraft.

He was later arrested in Morgan County after Alabama authorities uncovered irregularities in a 1979 drug case over which he presided as a judge.

The NTSB's report of probable cause finds the accident resulted from Coggin's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering resulting in an inadvertent stall and collision with trees and the ground. Factors in the accident were the pilot's ostentatious display and impairment due to alcohol.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov