What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) After departing marathon, Florida, the aircraft began to encounter instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot received an instrument clearance, including a convective SIGMET warning, and he continued on his flight to punta gorda, flordia. At 1907:43, radio contact with the pilot was lost, when the airplane was over the gulf of Mexico about 20 miles southwest of Marco Island, Florida. Approximately 30 seconds later, radar contact was also lost. Reportedly, the weather in the area included extreme, intense, and very strong weather echoes. The last radar `hit' of the airplane showed two distinct returns approximately 3/4 of a mile apart; an in-flight breakup of the airplane was presumed to have occurred. One occupant (a private pilot, who was fatally injured) and minimal airplane debris were recovered. The other 2 occupants were presumed to be fatally injured. (-23) N9049S, a Beech V35B, departed marathon, Florida airport, on March 24, 1997. The pilot requested VFR flight following at 2338Z, the aircraft was radar identified 2338Z. The pilot requested a climb 2343Z to maintain VFR, then 2357Z requested a climb to 8500 feet to further maintain VFR. At 000 3Z airfiled an IFR flight plan to punta gorda and was instructed to maintain 8000 feet. Miami center handed the pilot over to fort myers approach at 0006Z. Fort myers lost both radio and radar contact with the pilot at 007Z, 40 miles sw of south west Florida international airport (rsw). A convective signet was in effect at the time of the accident, but radar showed the aircraft was west of the weather at all times. A fishing vessel recovered the remains of the pilot, john spriggs, later. The two passengers, both rated pilots, are presumed dead. No other information is available at this time.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) AFTER DEPARTING MARATHON, FLORIDA, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT RECEIVED AN INSTRUMENT CLEARANCE, INCLUDING A CONVECTIVE SIGMET WARNING, AND HE CONTINUED ON HIS FLIGHT TO PUNTA GORDA, FLORDIA. AT 1907:43, RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PILOT WAS LOST, WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARCO ISLAND, FLORIDA. APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS LATER, RADAR CONTACT WAS ALSO LOST. REPORTEDLY, THE WEATHER IN THE AREA INCLUDED EXTREME, INTENSE, AND VERY STRONG WEATHER ECHOES. THE LAST RADAR `HIT' OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED TWO DISTINCT RETURNS APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A MILE APART; AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRPLANE WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE OCCURRED. ONE OCCUPANT (A PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS FATALLY INJURED) AND MINIMAL AIRPLANE DEBRIS WERE RECOVERED. THE OTHER 2 OCCUPANTS WERE PRESUMED TO BE FATALLY INJURED. (-23) N9049S, A BEECH V35B, DEPARTED MARATHON, FLORIDA AIRPORT, ON MARCH 24, 1997. THE PILOT REQUESTED VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING AT 2338Z, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RADAR IDENTIFIED 2338Z. THE PILOT REQUESTED A CLIMB 2343Z TO MAINTAIN VFR, THEN 2357Z REQUESTED A CLIMB TO 8500 FEET TO FURTHER MAINTAIN VFR. AT 000 3Z AIRFILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN TO PUNTA GORDA AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 8000 FEET. MIAMI CENTER HANDED THE PILOT OVER TO FORT MYERS APPROACH AT 0006Z. FORT MYERS LOST BOTH RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH THE PILOT AT 007Z, 40 MILES SW OF SOUTH WEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (RSW). A CONVECTIVE SIGNET WAS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT RADAR SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT WAS WEST OF THE WEATHER AT ALL TIMES. A FISHING VESSEL RECOVERED THE REMAINS OF THE PILOT, JOHN SPRIGGS, LATER. THE TWO PASSENGERS, BOTH RATED PILOTS, ARE PRESUMED DEAD. NO OTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.