What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At 2155 cdst on 4/26/00, N1978Q, a Cessna 177RG flown by zane william purcella operated by priority air of Watertown, s.d., crashed approx. eight miles south of the Watertown airport (aty). N1978Q was enroute from sioux falls, s.d. to Watertown, s.d. on a IFR flight plan. At 2135 cdst, the aircraft was cleared to descend from 6000 feet MSL to 4000 feet MSL. At 2154 cdst attempts to contact N1978Q were made with no response. Radar contact was lost near outer marker for runway 35 at the Watertown airport (aty).
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT 2155 CDST ON 4/26/00, N1978Q, A CESSNA 177RG FLOWN BY ZANE WILLIAM PURCELLA OPERATED BY PRIORITY AIR OF WATERTOWN, S.D., CRASHED APPROX. EIGHT MILES SOUTH OF THE WATERTOWN AIRPORT (ATY). N1978Q WAS ENROUTE FROM SIOUX FALLS, S.D. TO WATERTOWN, S.D. ON A IFR FLIGHT PLAN. AT 2135 CDST, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND FROM 6000 FEET MSL TO 4000 FEET MSL. AT 2154 CDST ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT N1978Q WERE MADE WITH NO RESPONSE. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST NEAR OUTER MARKER FOR RUNWAY 35 AT THE WATERTOWN AIRPORT (ATY).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N1978Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.