NTSB Factual Report Shows Treatments For Macular Degeneration

The 86-year-old pilot of a Cessna 206 which crashed in 2008 killing all 6 occupants was warned not to drive a car due to his failing eyesight, medical records show. An NTSB Factual Report indicates he had not reported the problems on his most recent application for a medical certificate, which was dated May 4th, 2007.

The pilot, Gene Damschroder, had been offering sightseeing rides during a Lions Club "Fly-In Breakfast" fundraising event at Fremont Airport in Fremont, Ohio. The club said the airplane rides were not part of the event, and they received no donations from the rides, for which Damschroder was reportedly charging $20, or $10 if the passenger was under 50 pounds. Witnesses said they do not recall any passenger being weighed.

The investigation revealed Damschroder was issued a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single -engine and multiengine land and sea ratings based upon military competency by the Civil Aeronautics Administration on March 6, 1945.

According to the factual report:

"On October 10, 1987, he received his last issuance for an airman certificate and/or rating. The pilot was issued a Douglas DC-3 airplane rating at with a total flight time of 22,620 hours, which was listed on his airman certificate and/or rating application. The FAA inspector who issued the certificate checked the following statement indicating that he "personally reviewed this applicant's pilot logbook..."

On February 6, 1964, he was issued an initial flight instructor certificate, which was last renewed on January 14, 2007, with single- and multiengine airplane and instrument ratings based upon completion of a flight instructor renewal course.

On December 19, 1994, he was issued a mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings. On January 12, 2007, he received a renewal for inspection authorization based on having performed 9 annual inspections on aircraft.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) did not receive any of the accident pilot's logbooks following requests made to the pilot's son during the on-scene portion and subsequent portions of the investigation. The pilot's wife and son stated that they did not know where the pilot's logbooks were.

The accident pilot's airman medical certificate application, dated July 29, 1988, lists his total airplane flight time as 25,000 hours and 250 hours in the past 6 months. Subsequent medical applications had the following total and 6 month flight times, respectively."

File Photo

The NTSB report indicates that Damschroder had been in four automobile accidents between 1998 and 2007. His distance vision was reported to be 20/100 in both eyes, and he had been told twice by doctors not to drive a car. He had failed to report those doctor visits on his medical certificate application, according to the NTSB.

The NTSB has not issued any probable cause for the accident. The factual report does indicate that "the same aviation medical examiner (AME) on each application for Airman Medical Certificate and associated examinations since 1998. The FAA decertified the AME on January 28, 2009, for improper issuance of medical certificates."

FMI: www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20080613X00862&ntsbno=CHI08FA156&akey=1