GOODYEAR, AZ — Authorities have confirmed the pilot of a small aircraft is dead after the plane’s wreckage was located in a rural area southwest of the Phoenix metro on Wednesday evening.
The aircraft, a Pitts S1-T, departed from Phoenix-Goodyear Airport on Tuesday before being reported missing later that day. A multi-agency search effort was launched, and around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office air crews spotted the crash site near Ocotillo Road and Bullard Avenue. The FAA was immediately notified of the discovery.
Officials say the pilot was the only person on board at the time of the crash. No further details on the circumstances of the incident or the identity of the pilot have been released.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are now leading the investigation to determine the cause of the fatal accident.
