Cessna 421C accident near Catawba, WI
On July 1, 2017, a Cessna 421C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Catawba, WI. 6 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 1, 2017
- Place
- Catawba, WI
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 6 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.555°N, 90.495°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170701X91840
Official records · CEN17FA248
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC and Radar Study: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 1, 2017, about 0153 central daylight time, a Cessna 421C airplane, N2655B, was destroyed during an in-flight breakup near Catawba, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot and five passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to Sky King Flying Service, Inc., and was being operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated about 0025 from Waukegan National Airport (UGN), Waukegan, Illinois, and was enroute to Warroad International Memorial Airport (RRT), Warroad, Minnesota. According to radar data and air traffic control communications information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane was flying about 10,000 ft mean sea level (msl) when the pilot checked in with Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center at 0117. At 0148, the pilot reported lightning off his left wing. The controller advised the pilot that the weather appeared to be about 35 to 40 miles away and that the airplane should be well clear of it. The pilot responded to the controller that he had onboard weather radar and stated that it "looks like we'll clear it nicely." After the discussion about the weather, there were no further communications from the pilot. At 0152, radar data showed the airplane at 10,400 ft msl, and at 0153, radar data showed the airplane at 9,400 ft msl in a descending right turn. Radar contact was lost shortly thereafter. Th
Probable cause
A loss of control and subsequent in-flight breakup for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
More accidents in WI
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Browse: Wisconsin · 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.
