What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Based on ADS-B and customs, the aircraft departed the grant county international airport (moses lake, WA) on October 15, 2025- (destination unknown). Reno FSDO received an alnot notification from salt lake ARTCC (zlc) on Thursday 10/16/2025 reported overdue by a family member. The aircraft wreckage was discovered on 10/16/2025 on Mt. Callaghan (18 mi nne Austin, NV) at approximately 10,100 MSL.
Reno FSDO inspector traveled to scene to rendezvous with NTSB investigator. Upon reaching the summit, initial ground scarring was present that provides details of the initial impact. The initial impact ground scarring to where the aircraft fuselage rests, puts the aircraft traveling in a southeast direction which solidifies the direction of travel and is consistent to ADS-B data.
The initial impact with correlation to tail and main landing gear components near the initial impact scar, and where the aircraft came to a final rest approximately 1/4 miles from initial impact leads me to believe the aircraft was traveling at high airspeeds at relatively level flight/ low angle.
Weather reports at the time of the accident places that area in an active weather pattern, consisting of low/ broken ceilings or layers below FL180, icing at all altitudes and areas of precipitation.
The airman does not hold an instrument certificate and was on a VFR flight (no VFR flight plan filed). ADS-B (flight radar 24/flight aware) data show the aircraft changing altitudes from VFR cruise 9,500 MSL to 12,500 MSL. Significance to the changing of altitudes is constant to terrain and or weather deviations. Based on the ADS-B data, the initial impact and wreckage distance is consistent to a potential weather induced, controlled flight into terrain (cfit).
As the FAA filed it
BASED ON ADS-B AND CUSTOMS, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE GRANT COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MOSES LAKE, WA) ON OCTOBER 15, 2025- (DESTINATION UNKNOWN). RENO FSDO RECEIVED AN ALNOT NOTIFICATION FROM SALT LAKE ARTCC (ZLC) ON THURSDAY 10/16/2025 REPORTED OVERDUE BY A FAMILY MEMBER. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS DISCOVERED ON 10/16/2025 ON MT. CALLAGHAN (18 MI NNE AUSTIN, NV) AT APPROXIMATELY 10,100 MSL.
RENO FSDO INSPECTOR TRAVELED TO SCENE TO RENDEZVOUS WITH NTSB INVESTIGATOR. UPON REACHING THE SUMMIT, INITIAL GROUND SCARRING WAS PRESENT THAT PROVIDES DETAILS OF THE INITIAL IMPACT. THE INITIAL IMPACT GROUND SCARRING TO WHERE THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE RESTS, PUTS THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELING IN A SOUTHEAST DIRECTION WHICH SOLIDIFIES THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL AND IS CONSISTENT TO ADS-B DATA.
THE INITIAL IMPACT WITH CORRELATION TO TAIL AND MAIN LANDING GEAR COMPONENTS NEAR THE INITIAL IMPACT SCAR, AND WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A FINAL REST APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILES FROM INITIAL IMPACT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELING AT HIGH AIRSPEEDS AT RELATIVELY LEVEL FLIGHT/ LOW ANGLE.
WEATHER REPORTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT PLACES THAT AREA IN AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN, CONSISTING OF LOW/ BROKEN CEILINGS OR LAYERS BELOW FL180, ICING AT ALL ALTITUDES AND AREAS OF PRECIPITATION.
THE AIRMAN DOES NOT HOLD AN INSTRUMENT CERTIFICATE AND WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT (NO VFR FLIGHT PLAN FILED). ADS-B (FLIGHT RADAR 24/FLIGHT AWARE) DATA SHOW THE AIRCRAFT CHANGING ALTITUDES FROM VFR CRUISE 9,500 MSL TO 12,500 MSL. SIGNIFICANCE TO THE CHANGING OF ALTITUDES IS CONSTANT TO TERRAIN AND OR WEATHER DEVIATIONS. BASED ON THE ADS-B DATA, THE INITIAL IMPACT AND WRECKAGE DISTANCE IS CONSISTENT TO A POTENTIAL WEATHER INDUCED, CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN (CFIT).