WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Federal investigators looking into a deadly 2024 small plane crash in Franklin County say the instructor who was teaching a student pilot had tested positive for two medicines that are on the FAA’s “Do Not Fly” list.
Three people were killed when the Beechcraft 95-B55 (Baron) went down in a clearing beside a wooded area near the Leyden-Greenfield line on January 14, 2024. The plane crashed about 20 minutes after taking off from Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport.
Owner, instructor, and student of Westfield Fly Lugu Flight School died in plane crash
According to a Medical Factual Report by National Transportation Safety Board Medical Specialist Dr. JE Tuttle, the autopsy on a 67-year-old male instructor found he tested positive for alprazolam (most commonly known by the brand name Xanax) as well as amitriptyline. Alprazolam is a Schedule IV controlled substance used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, while amitriptyline is an antidepressant. The FAA considers both drugs to be “Do Not Issue/Do Not Fly” medications.
An autopsy on the student pilot found no prohibited substances in his system…