Alcohol involved in deadly Topeka airplane crash

TOPEKA (KSNT) - The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a final investigation report on a deadly airplane crash that happened in Topeka in 2022.

At 11:53 a.m. on July 16, 2022, witnesses saw Steven D. Stucky's airplane depart the runway and perform various aerobatic maneuvers. Toxicological tests detected levels of ethanol in Stucky's system. The results were consistent with the consumption of alcohol before the flight, according to the NTSB.

The NTSB determined the probable cause for the accident to be:

"The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control while performing an aerobatic maneuver on
takeoff, which resulted in exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, a subsequent
aerodynamic stall, and impact with terrain," the report said. "Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from alcohol consumption before the flight."

According to the report, witnesses had seen the airplane leave the runway and enter a near-verticle climb. The airplane's nose dropped and entered a near-vertical descent until the plane hit the ground near the end of the runway.

A local resident reported he would routinely see Stucky's plane performing aerobatic maneuvers such as inverted flight over the airport, spins and barrel rolls, according to the NTSB report. A post-accident examination didn't find evidence of mechanical anomalies in the airplane.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.