What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Mr. Robert stimmel pilot of aircraft N7FG accompanied by one passenger took off from Orlando Executive Airport (orl) November 20, 2015 @ approximately 11:15 EST en route to gainsville, Texas (gle). Shortly after take-off, ATC instructed the pilot to descend to 1,500 feet to avoid flying through Orlando international airport (mco) class b airspace; the pilot of N7FG responded to the second ATC instruction (there was no response from N7FG to ATC?s first instruction to descend) by stating: ?I?m trying, pushing as hard as I can on the yoke?, the pilot indicated he had an auto-pilot problem, he was unable to control the pitch of the aircraft and was attempting to return back to orl. The pilot of N7FG received guidance to disengage the auto-pilot from another pilot in the vicinity. The pilot of N7FG did not understand these instructions based on his response to the other pilots advice as heard on the ATC tapes. N7FG soon after experienced a nose down uncontrollable impact into clear lake (according to witness statements). Subsequently sustaining two fatalities and rendering the aircraft totally destroyed. N7FG was found submerged in shallow water approximately on a 248 degrees radial and 3.7 nautical miles from the approach end of orl runway 07.
As the FAA filed it
MR. ROBERT STIMMEL PILOT OF AIRCRAFT N7FG ACCOMPANIED BY ONE PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM ORLANDO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (ORL) NOVEMBER 20, 2015 @ APPROXIMATELY 11:15 EST EN ROUTE TO GAINSVILLE, TEXAS (GLE). SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, ATC INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO DESCEND TO 1,500 FEET TO AVOID FLYING THROUGH ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MCO) CLASS B AIRSPACE; THE PILOT OF N7FG RESPONDED TO THE SECOND ATC INSTRUCTION (THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM N7FG TO ATC?S FIRST INSTRUCTION TO DESCEND) BY STATING: ?I?M TRYING, PUSHING AS HARD AS I CAN ON THE YOKE?, THE PILOT INDICATED HE HAD AN AUTO-PILOT PROBLEM, HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE PITCH OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN BACK TO ORL. THE PILOT OF N7FG RECEIVED GUIDANCE TO DISENGAGE THE AUTO-PILOT FROM ANOTHER PILOT IN THE VICINITY. THE PILOT OF N7FG DID NOT UNDERSTAND THESE INSTRUCTIONS BASED ON HIS RESPONSE TO THE OTHER PILOTS ADVICE AS HEARD ON THE ATC TAPES. N7FG SOON AFTER EXPERIENCED A NOSE DOWN UNCONTROLLABLE IMPACT INTO CLEAR LAKE (ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS). SUBSEQUENTLY SUSTAINING TWO FATALITIES AND RENDERING THE AIRCRAFT TOTALLY DESTROYED. N7FG WAS FOUND SUBMERGED IN SHALLOW WATER APPROXIMATELY ON A 248 DEGREES RADIAL AND 3.7 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF ORL RUNWAY 07.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.