What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 9th, 2011 at 1422 CST, a Cessna 421C aircraft N421SY operated by quest aviation and piloted by privacy data omitted, took off from Joe Foss Field (fsd) runway 33. Shortly after take off the fsd air traffic control tower controller advised the pilot a plume of smoke was trailing the aircraft; however, the controller could not determine exactly where the smoke was coming from. The aircraft began a left turn until heading south at which time the nose dropped abruptly and impacted the ground in an open field 3/4 mile northwest of the airport at 1424 CST. The pilot and 3 passengers were fatally injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2011 AT 1422 CST, A CESSNA 421C AIRCRAFT N421SY OPERATED BY QUEST AVIATION AND PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, TOOK OFF FROM JOE FOSS FIELD (FSD) RUNWAY 33. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF THE FSD AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT A PLUME OF SMOKE WAS TRAILING THE AIRCRAFT; HOWEVER, THE CONTROLLER COULD NOT DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A LEFT TURN UNTIL HEADING SOUTH AT WHICH TIME THE NOSE DROPPED ABRUPTLY AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN OPEN FIELD 3/4 MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AT 1424 CST. THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.