What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The airplane took off at 1831 EDT. At 1844 EDT, the tower controller asked the pilot of the airplane for a position report. The pilot replied that he was 27 miles northeast of the airport tracking the 246 degree radial. The pilot told the tower that he would call them again when he got within five miles [of the airport]. The airplane was tracked by air traffic control radar making a turn and tracking due west at 300 miles per hour. The airplane was tracked to a position of 344 degrees at 31.1 miles off the Traverse city (tvc) VOR. Radar contact was lost as the airplane approached south fox island (tvc VOR 177 degree radial at 9.6 miles). One minute and 20 seconds after radar contact was lost, a fast moving primary target was tracked to a position 9 miles north of south fox island, where the target was lost. A search for the airplane was initiated at 2057 EDT. On July 4, 1998, at 2235 EDT, search operations were suspended. (-23) aircraft departed tvc July 3, 1998 at 18:31 local time. Reported position to tvc tower as 22 mi n-ne at 18:44. No other transmission. ATC had radar track of an aircraft that may have neen N7868M, near fox island. Airc raft missing.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AT 1831 EDT. AT 1844 EDT, THE TOWER CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT OF THE AIRPLANE FOR A POSITION REPORT. THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE WAS 27 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT TRACKING THE 246 DEGREE RADIAL. THE PILOT TOLD THE TOWER THAT HE WOULD CALL THEM AGAIN WHEN HE GOT WITHIN FIVE MILES [OF THE AIRPORT]. THE AIRPLANE WAS TRACKED BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL RADAR MAKING A TURN AND TRACKING DUE WEST AT 300 MILES PER HOUR. THE AIRPLANE WAS TRACKED TO A POSITION OF 344 DEGREES AT 31.1 MILES OFF THE TRAVERSE CITY (TVC) VOR. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED SOUTH FOX ISLAND (TVC VOR 177 DEGREE RADIAL AT 9.6 MILES). ONE MINUTE AND 20 SECONDS AFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST, A FAST MOVING PRIMARY TARGET WAS TRACKED TO A POSITION 9 MILES NORTH OF SOUTH FOX ISLAND, WHERE THE TARGET WAS LOST. A SEARCH FOR THE AIRPLANE WAS INITIATED AT 2057 EDT. ON JULY 4, 1998, AT 2235 EDT, SEARCH OPERATIONS WERE SUSPENDED. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TVC JULY 3, 1998 AT 18:31 LOCAL TIME. REPORTED POSITION TO TVC TOWER AS 22 MI N-NE AT 18:44. NO OTHER TRANSMISSION. ATC HAD RADAR TRACK OF AN AIRCRAFT THAT MAY HAVE NEEN N7868M, NEAR FOX ISLAND. AIRC RAFT MISSING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.