What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 04/21/2011, N7804C was enroute from pueblo co. to mckinney Texas. The pilot was VFR on top and contacted mcalester flight service for a weather update. Flight service advised him VFR was not recommended along his route. The pilot then contacted fort worth center and requested an IFR clearance into clinton Oklahoma. The pilot was given a descent to 5000. When asked what kind of approach N7804C would like, the pilot immediately reported a gyro problem. A clearance was then given to climb to 8,000FT and fort worth center started to vector him to liberal Kansas where the weather was VFR. The aircraft then disappeared from radar at 1130 local time. The investigation concluded that the aircraft was a "VFR" only aircraft but requested and recieved and "IFR" clearance.
As the FAA filed it
ON 04/21/2011, N7804C WAS ENROUTE FROM PUEBLO CO. TO MCKINNEY TEXAS. THE PILOT WAS VFR ON TOP AND CONTACTED MCALESTER FLIGHT SERVICE FOR A WEATHER UPDATE. FLIGHT SERVICE ADVISED HIM VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED ALONG HIS ROUTE. THE PILOT THEN CONTACTED FORT WORTH CENTER AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE INTO CLINTON OKLAHOMA. THE PILOT WAS GIVEN A DESCENT TO 5000. WHEN ASKED WHAT KIND OF APPROACH N7804C WOULD LIKE, THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY REPORTED A GYRO PROBLEM. A CLEARANCE WAS THEN GIVEN TO CLIMB TO 8,000FT AND FORT WORTH CENTER STARTED TO VECTOR HIM TO LIBERAL KANSAS WHERE THE WEATHER WAS VFR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AT 1130 LOCAL TIME. THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS A "VFR" ONLY AIRCRAFT BUT REQUESTED AND RECIEVED AND "IFR" CLEARANCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.