What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 24, 2011, at approximately 1625Z, asw roc was notified of an aircraft crash into Heron Lake, just west of tierra amarilla, NM. Based on radar tracking information of a missing aircraft, it is believed to be N320AZ, a Cessna 320, s/n 320F-0027, registered to privacy data omitted. N320AZ took off from prescot AZ, piloted by owner/operator privacy data omitted with an unknown destination. No flight plan was filed and it is unknown if a weather report was obtained. Witnesses reported that during a period of heavy rain they heard aircraft engine sputtering then silence then a loud thud such as a large object hitting the water. The aircraft has not been found therefore no positive id has been established for the aircraft PIC nor possible/probable cause.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 24, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 1625Z, ASW ROC WAS NOTIFIED OF AN AIRCRAFT CRASH INTO HERON LAKE, JUST WEST OF TIERRA AMARILLA, NM. BASED ON RADAR TRACKING INFORMATION OF A MISSING AIRCRAFT, IT IS BELIEVED TO BE N320AZ, A CESSNA 320, S/N 320F-0027, REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. N320AZ TOOK OFF FROM PRESCOT AZ, PILOTED BY OWNER/OPERATOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND IT IS UNKNOWN IF A WEATHER REPORT WAS OBTAINED.WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN THEY HEARD AIRCRAFT ENGINE SPUTTERING THEN SILENCE THEN A LOUD THUD SUCH AS A LARGE OBJECT HITTING THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN FOUND THEREFORE NO POSITIVE ID HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THE AIRCRAFT PIC NOR POSSIBLE/PROBABLE CAUSE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.