What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot departed torrence California (toa) enroute to aspen Colorado (ase). No flight plan was filed for the VFR flight. Near delta Colorado (1V9) while at approximately 13500 feet the pilot requested to pick up an IFR clearance from denver center (zdv). Zdv granted that request, instructed him to climb to 15000 feet, and the pilot acknowledged and correctly read back the IFR clearance. The zdv controller then asked the pilot for information to complete the IFR clearance. While the pilot was giving the requested information to zdv radar shows the aircraft climbing through 14000 feet and making a left 360 degree turn. The zdv controller then asks the pilot if he was making a left 360 turn and the pilot responded that his autopilot had disconnected. The controller then asked the pilot if he needed a heading. The pilot responded that he would like a heading, which was then given by the zdv controller. Radio contact is then lost with the aircraft. Radar then shows the aircraft continuing the left 360 degree turn and in a decent and shortly thereafter radar contact is lost.
The aircraft impacted terrain near cederedge Colorado. The aircraft was destroyed and a majority of the aircraft burned after impact. The pilot, the only sole onboard, was fatally injured. Several components of the aircraft were found a distance from the main wreckage, the largest being a 15 foot outboard section of the left wing which was found about 1450 feet away.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT DEPARTED TORRENCE CALIFORNIA (TOA) ENROUTE TO ASPEN COLORADO (ASE). NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE VFR FLIGHT. NEAR DELTA COLORADO (1V9) WHILE AT APPROXIMATELY 13500 FEET THE PILOT REQUESTED TO PICK UP AN IFR CLEARANCE FROM DENVER CENTER (ZDV). ZDV GRANTED THAT REQUEST, INSTRUCTED HIM TO CLIMB TO 15000 FEET, AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED AND CORRECTLY READ BACK THE IFR CLEARANCE. THE ZDV CONTROLLER THEN ASKED THE PILOT FOR INFORMATION TO COMPLETE THE IFR CLEARANCE. WHILE THE PILOT WAS GIVING THE REQUESTED INFORMATION TO ZDV RADAR SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBING THROUGH 14000 FEET AND MAKING A LEFT 360 DEGREE TURN. THE ZDV CONTROLLER THEN ASKS THE PILOT IF HE WAS MAKING A LEFT 360 TURN AND THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HIS AUTOPILOT HAD DISCONNECTED. THE CONTROLLER THEN ASKED THE PILOT IF HE NEEDED A HEADING. THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE WOULD LIKE A HEADING, WHICH WAS THEN GIVEN BY THE ZDV CONTROLLER. RADIO CONTACT IS THEN LOST WITH THE AIRCRAFT. RADAR THEN SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUING THE LEFT 360 DEGREE TURN AND IN A DECENT AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER RADAR CONTACT IS LOST.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR CEDEREDGE COLORADO. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND A MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT BURNED AFTER IMPACT. THE PILOT, THE ONLY SOLE ONBOARD, WAS FATALLY INJURED. SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE FOUND A DISTANCE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE, THE LARGEST BEING A 15 FOOT OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE LEFT WING WHICH WAS FOUND ABOUT 1450 FEET AWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.