Part 6/9:
The events during the flight became increasingly critical. Shortly after departure, Allen encountered poor weather that required him to divert from his planned approach. Numerous attempts to reach him were made by air traffic controllers, expressing concern about his VFR flight amidst worsening conditions. An hour later, Allen’s radio silence raised alarms; after a series of increasingly troubling radio communications, he eventually became unresponsive.
As he neared Birmingham, the air traffic controllers attempted to assist, advising him of IFR conditions. In a crucial moment of miscommunication, Allen did not follow the instructions provided for intercepting the ILS approach. Instead, he deviated from his assigned course, unwittingly placing himself and his wife in danger.