Cannabis may have affected glider pilot's judgment

Cannabis may have clouded the judgment of a pilot killed when his glider struck a ridge, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said yesterday.

Gregory John Brosnan, 44, of Hawea Flat, near Wanaka, died when his glider crashed on the rocky Omarama Saddle on January 12 last year. The site, at an altitude of about 1748m, is about 20km from Omarama.

The CAA safety investigation concluded the accident may have resulted from a combination of a sudden change in the environmental conditions and the effects of cannabis on Mr Brosnan, who was properly qualified for the type of glider he was flying. He was on a private flight.

Toxicology tests at the post-mortem examination showed he had a blood tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level of 7 micrograms per litre - a level consistent with having smoked a cannabis cigarette within three hours before his death.

"The level of THC in the pilot's blood was such that it is very likely that he was affected by the drug at the time of his death," the report said.

Evidence at the crash site revealed the glider struck the ground as Mr Brosnan attempted to cross the ridge.

"Glider pilots are generally able to predict the conditions in which they will be flying, there is always the element of unpredictability regarding gusts and sink areas.

"Also the nature of the terrain was such that it may have been quite difficult to judge the height of the top of the ridge.

"This combined with the fact that there was THC in the blood, may have resulted in the pilot making an error of judgment," the report said.

- NZPA