Cessna 177RG accident near Watertown, SD
On April 27, 2000, a Cessna 177RG (airplane) was involved in an accident near Watertown, SD. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 27, 2000
- Place
- Watertown, SD
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 44.910°N, 97.159°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X20770
Official records · CHI00FA123
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Transcripts: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 26, 2000, at 2155 central daylight time, a Cessna 177RG, N1978Q, operated by Priority Air, Inc., was destroyed when it impacted the water in a slough located approximately 7.75 nautical miles south of the Watertown Municipal Airport (ATY), Watertown, South Dakota. The airplane was found in about 3 feet of water and 20 feet from the shoreline of the slough. The bearing to the airport was about 353 degrees. The commercial pilot received fatal injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight had departed the Joe Foss Airport (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at 2119 and was en route to ATY where the airplane was based. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at ATY. The airplane was on an IFR flight plan. The operator reported the pilot had departed ATY about 1430 on April 26, 2000, on a 14 CFR Part 135 flight to Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI), Grand Island, Nebraska. The operator reported that on the return positioning flight, the pilot departed GRI en route to ATY on a 14 CFR Part 91 VFR flight plan. N1978Q made an unscheduled landing at FSD. The pilot contacted the Huron Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) for a weather brief, and filed an IFR flight plan at FSD to fly direct to ATY located 81 nautical miles north. The AFSS weather briefer informed the pilot that a trough line that ran north and south was moving eastward across the state. Thunderstorms and rain showers were in front of the trough line in the eastern part of the state. Moderate turbulence could be expected below 7,000 feet. A pilot report indicated a freezing level a
Probable cause
the pilot failed to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Factors relating to the accident were the dark night, clouds, and rain.
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Browse: South Dakota · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
