What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 1851 UTC glasair N911EX contacted zab center and declared an emergency as a VFR pilot trapped under a layer of clouds. The pilot initially reported at 6500 MSL and requesteed to climb through the clouds. The pilot later reported at 5500 MSL in minimum VFR condidions. Zab attempted to maintain contact with the aircraft through radio relaywith other aircraft and zab did not have radar contact. The pilot reported his latitude and longitude for position. The pilot requested diverting to showlow, then eventually just requested help to any available airport that he could fly to and land VFR. ATC continued to ask the pilot to verify his position and altitude, and asked him to state his position from the showlow NDB. He then asked him to verify his position from the nearest navigational aid. The pilot reported the nearest VOR as iwa. ATC then asked the pilot to state his DME from iwa. The pilot reported he was 62 NM from the iwa VOR. ATC continued to ask the pilot to report his position. Zab eventually recommended the pilot divert to globe P13 as his closest VFR airport and provided the globe weather . Zab was in contact with N911EX for approximately 25 minutes. N911EX then did not respond to further contact attempts. Dps began search based on flight path from last reported location to globe and located the aircraft. Post crash fire consumed most of engine compartment and fuselage, bottoms of both wings were not burned. Pilot was ejected on impact and did not burn.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 1851 UTC GLASAIR N911EX CONTACTED ZAB CENTER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AS A VFR PILOT TRAPPED UNDER A LAYER OF CLOUDS. THE PILOT INITIALLY REPORTED AT 6500 MSL AND REQUESTEED TO CLIMB THROUGH THE CLOUDS. THE PILOT LATER REPORTED AT 5500 MSL IN MINIMUM VFR CONDIDIONS. ZAB ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH RADIO RELAYWITH OTHER AIRCRAFT AND ZAB DID NOT HAVE RADAR CONTACT. THE PILOT REPORTED HIS LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE FOR POSITION. THE PILOT REQUESTED DIVERTING TO SHOWLOW, THEN EVENTUALLY JUST REQUESTED HELP TO ANY AVAILABLE AIRPORT THAT HE COULD FLY TO AND LAND VFR. ATC CONTINUED TO ASK THE PILOT TO VERIFY HIS POSITION AND ALTITUDE, AND ASKED HIM TO STATE HIS POSITION FROM THE SHOWLOW NDB. HE THEN ASKED HIM TO VERIFY HIS POSITION FROM THE NEAREST NAVIGATIONAL AID. THE PILOT REPORTED THE NEAREST VOR AS IWA. ATC THEN ASKED THE PILOT TO STATE HIS DME FROM IWA. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS 62 NM FROM THE IWA VOR. ATC CONTINUED TO ASK THE PILOT TO REPORT HIS POSITION. ZAB EVENTUALLY RECOMMENDED THE PILOT DIVERT TO GLOBE P13 AS HIS CLOSEST VFR AIRPORT AND PROVIDED THE GLOBE WEATHER . ZAB WAS IN CONTACT WITH N911EX FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES. N911EX THEN DID NOT RESPOND TO FURTHER CONTACT ATTEMPTS. DPS BEGAN SEARCH BASED ON FLIGHT PATH FROM LAST REPORTED LOCATION TO GLOBE AND LOCATED THE AIRCRAFT. POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED MOST OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FUSELAGE, BOTTOMS OF BOTH WINGS WERE NOT BURNED. PILOT WAS EJECTED ON IMPACT AND DID NOT BURN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.