Medical Examiner Reports Pilots Blood Alcohol Was Over Legal Limit

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Medical Examiner Reports Pilots Blood Alcohol Was Over Legal Limit

January 23, 2014 - Tennessee Medical Examiner office has reported the Canadian pilot who crashed his Cessna 172F at Nashville International Airport, Nashville, Tennessee had a blood alcohol level of .081 just over Tennessee’s limit of .08 and more than twice the FAA legal limit .04.

On October 28, of last year 45 year old Michael Callan of Windsor, Ontario Canadian had rented a Cessna 172F (Canadian registration C-GRJH) from Windsor Flying Club at Windsor Airport (CYQG), Ontario, Canada.

Callan departed Windsor Airport with a filed flight plan for Pelee Island Airport (CYPT), Pelee, Ontario, Canada, a 30 minute flight. However, in-flight around 8:30 PM Callan for unknown reasons cancelled his flight plan to land at Pelee Island Airport, no further communication was established between him and air traffic control.

Instead Callan continued on and flew undetected to Tennessee. Sometime after midnight on October 29, Callan began circling Nashville International Airport with instrument meteorological conditions prevailing. Sometime between 2 AM and 8:45 AM Callan attempted to land his 172. However, he was unsuccessful. Callan cashed his aircraft and was killed while landing on runway 2C.

Airport personnel reported that they had conducted an airfield inspection about 2 AM with nothing unusual noted on runway 2C. At about 8:45 AM, an airplane taxing for departure reported a piece of what appeared to be an engine cowling on runway 2C.

Airport operations personnel responded and discovered the wreckage of the 172 and that it had been consumed by fire, aircraft came to rest upright, the engine was located about 700 feet from the initial impact and the propeller assembly was found about 400 feet from the wreckage.

The NTSB initial report indicated the aircraft impacted runway 2C on approximately a 40 degrees magnetic heading and skidded about 450 feet before coming to a stop east of the runway. A fire signature started about 220 feet after the initial impact point and continued to the main wreckage. According to the autopsy report, Callan suffered from multiple fractures and massive internal injuries as well a blood alcohol level of .081.