What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The plane departed from fort lauderdale executive airport (fxe) at approximately 0947 local time with only the pilot on board. At 0949 the pilot stated to ATC that he was having instrument problems and requested to stay VFR. ATC verified that the pilot had filed an IFR flight plan and the pilot confirmed that he had. At 0950 the aircraft was directed to climb to 8000 feet, but because of instrument problems the pilot requested to stay at 2000 feet to clear clouds. At 0951 the aircraft began the climb to altitude.
At approximately 1000 the aircraft began a right turn into a thunderstorm. At 1001 the aircraft had reached an altitude of 9400 feet. One minute and twenty three seconds later, the plane had lost all altitude and disappeared from radar contact. A search revealed the aircraft wreckage in the arthur marshall loxahatchee national wildlife refuge.
The impact crater, debris field and recovered wreckage, indicate the aircraft impacted the ground at a very steep angle with high energy.
As the FAA filed it
THE PLANE DEPARTED FROM FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (FXE) AT APPROXIMATELY 0947 LOCAL TIME WITH ONLY THE PILOT ON BOARD. AT 0949 THE PILOT STATED TO ATC THAT HE WAS HAVING INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS AND REQUESTED TO STAY VFR. ATC VERIFIED THAT THE PILOT HAD FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND THE PILOT CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD. AT 0950 THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIRECTED TO CLIMB TO 8000 FEET, BUT BECAUSE OF INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS THE PILOT REQUESTED TO STAY AT 2000 FEET TO CLEAR CLOUDS. AT 0951 THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN THE CLIMB TO ALTITUDE.
AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A RIGHT TURN INTO A THUNDERSTORM. AT 1001 THE AIRCRAFT HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 9400 FEET. ONE MINUTE AND TWENTY THREE SECONDS LATER, THE PLANE HAD LOST ALL ALTITUDE AND DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR CONTACT. A SEARCH REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE IN THE ARTHUR MARSHALL LOXAHATCHEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.
THE IMPACT CRATER, DEBRIS FIELD AND RECOVERED WRECKAGE, INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A VERY STEEP ANGLE WITH HIGH ENERGY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.