What happened
A flight originating from Wichita, Kansas, and bound for Phoenix, Arizona, experienced a catastrophic structural failure during its initial climb. Approximately eight minutes after departing, while the aircraft was ascending toward 15,000 feet, a passenger contacted departure control to report a potential medical emergency involving the pilot.
During the period when controllers were attempting to provide assistance, the passenger, who lacked flight training, took control of the aircraft. Eyewitness accounts from the scene described the aircraft performing a series of rapid, uncontrolled climbs and descents. This erratic flight path culminated in the separation of the rudder and both horizontal stabilizers from the airframe. Following the loss of these control surfaces, the aircraft entered a spin that ended in a ground impact. A significant fire broke out upon impact, consuming the wreckage.
Findings
The accident resulted in two fatalities, as both the pilot and the passenger were killed. The primary factor leading to the destruction of the aircraft was the unauthorized takeover of flight controls by a non-pilot passenger, which induced extreme aerodynamic stresses that caused the loss of the tail section.