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10 GREAT LAKES GREAT LAKES REGION REGION A routine instrument flight rules (IFR) flight through Indianapolis Center (ZID) airspace became a cascading in-flight emergency within seconds on April 1, 2026. Fuel gauges went dark, cabin pressure dropped, and the windshield fogged over — and the pilot lost his glasses reaching for the oxygen mask. ZID air traffic controllers Karl Marcum, Mark McGarrah, Ben Melendez, Dan Mohid, and Clayton Austreng talked him through a blind descent and recovery from a steep nose-low attitude. At approximately 12:50 p.m., the pilot of N725VB, a Lancair Evolution, began experiencing a catastrophic series of electrical failures. The aircraft's fuel gauges went dark. The door seals failed, causing a rapid loss of cabin pressurization, and the windshield fogged over, leaving the pilot with virtually no visibility. As the pilot reached for the oxygen mask, he knocked his glasses off and could not find them. Unable to fully seal his oxygen mask while flying the aircraft, the pilot was forced to manage the emergency with one hand on the controls and the other holding the mask in place. Aware that time at altitude was limited, the pilot disconnected the autopilot. While managing the cascading failures, the aircraft turned nearly 90 degrees off-course and entered an unusual attitude. The pilot began descending at a rate of nearly 9,000 feet per minute. Marcum, who was training Melendez in the Pocket City sector (R81), immediately recognized the severity of the situation. Training was suspended so the area team could focus entirely on the unfolding emergency. While Marcum assumed responsibility for communicating with N725VB, McGarrah, Melendez, and Mohid immediately began gathering information, coordinating resources, and providing Marcum with support. Maintaining two-way communication proved difficult, so Marcum instructed the pilot to squawk if he was able to hear the transmissions. As both a pilot and flight instructor, Marcum knew the pilot needed calm, concise instructions — not additional workload. Drawing on his experience and the information being provided by his teammates, Marcum provided nearby airport options, runway information, weather, winds, and reassurance while giving the pilot the time to manage the emergency. Clayton Austreng Indianapolis ARTCC ZID Karl Marcum Indianapolis ARTCC ZID Mark McGarrah Indianapolis ARTCC ZID Clayton Austreng Karl Marcum Mark McGarrah

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