Shit.  This article says the plane was sold and they couldn't reach the new owners - EE Operations: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/air-traffic-control-data-doomed-texas-flight-was-completely-normal-n1025521 "The aircraft had recently come under new ownership and its tail number hadn’t yet been changed at the time of the crash, Landsberg said. Efforts to reach the new owner, EE Operations LLC, were unsuccessful Monday. Its former owner, Todd DeSimone, of the Chicago-based charter company Planemasters, told the Associated Press Monday that he sold the plane earlier this year." EE Operations = EE Ranch: http://www.eeranches.com/stallion-station/staff/ - Note "Jo Ellard". Brian Ellard was one of the fatalities on the flight.  Something doesn't smell right.