Thu, Nov 20, 2003
Alcohol, Cocaine Found In Pilot's System
When a Beechcraft B-36
plunged into an apartment complex in Los Angeles's Fairfax district
last June, the pilot's wife was flabbergasted. Judy Gantz Siegel
said her husband, 50-year old Jeffrey Siegel, was a "very skilled
pilot" who had flown for decades. "I can't believe it," she told
reporters. "I want to hear an explanation of what happened. He is
such a good pilot."
Now, investigators say they have another piece of the puzzle.
Toxicology reports from the LA coroner's office indicate the
presence of alcohol and cocaine were found in Siegel's body after
the crash.
The June 6th crash left five people, including Siegel, dead.
Four were on board the aircraft. The fifth was a 76-year-old
resident of the apartment building. Seven people on the ground were
hurt.
The aircraft gouged a crater in the center of the apartment
building when it crashed about seven minutes after take-off from
Santa Monica Airport (CA). Siegel had reportedly conversed with the
control tower there, been advised to switch frequencies to talk to
TRACON, but never made the transition. Witnesses say the aircraft's
engine made unusual noises just before it plunged into the
Hollywood-area apartment building.
But just how much of a factor were the drugs and alcohol? Mrs.
Siegel says the coroner told her Jeffrey's blood alcohol level was
below the legal limit for driving -- 0.08 percent.
** Report created 6/9/2003 Record
11 **
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 1856P
Make/Model: BE36 Description: 36
Bonanza
Date: 06/06/2003 Time: 2255
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: SANTA MONICA State: CA
Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT ON DEPARTURE, CRASHED INTO AN APARTMENT BUILDING AND
WAS DESTROYED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, FOUR PERSONS ON BOARD
WERE FATALLY INJURIED AND UNKNOWN PERSONS IN THE BUILDING WERE
FATALLY INJURIED, OTHER INJURIES TO THOSE ON THE GROUND ARE
UNKNOWN, OCCURRED 6 MILES NE OF SANTA MONICA, CA
INJURY DATA Total Fatal:
4
# Crew: 2 Fat:
2 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 2 Fat:
2 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk: Y
WEATHER: SMO 1551PDT 26010KT 10SM OVC031
OTHER DATA
Activity: Pleasure Phase:
Take-off Operation: General
Aviation
Departed: SANTA MONICA,
CA
Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: SUN VALLEY,
ID Flt
Plan: VFR Wx
Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: 6 MI NE OF SMO ARPT
Last Clearance: CLRD FOR TAKEOFF
FAA FSDO: LOS ANGELES, CA
(WP23)
Entry date: 06/09/2003
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