Cessna 206 Down Near Owatonna

An annual fishing vacation ended in tragedy for four Minnesota men when their Cessna 206 (file photo of type, right) went down Tuesday night, impacting a house and disintegrating near Owatonna (MN).

KSTP-TV reports Charles DeYoung called 911 at 8:41 local time Tuesday night, telling the dispatcher that a plane had just hit his house. DeYoung, the only person home at the time, wasn't hurt.

"All I know is that they are all dead," said neighbor Coleen Thompson. "When it hit, it sounded like thunder outside."

The television station reports the 206 went down about nine miles from Degner Regional Airport.

The pilot was identified as 50-year old Gordon Welke. His wife told KSTP the fishing trip was an annual tradition.

She also identified two of the three passengers as Brian Borwege and his adult son, Ben. The name of the fourth victim had not been released.

The flight reportedly originated in Saskatchewan. Welke processed through Customs at Roseau (MN) on its way home. There was no report of a distress call prior to the accident.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 81685    Make/Model: C206   Description: 206, P206, T206, TP206, U206, TU206, (T
 Date: 06/02/2004   Time: 0140

 Event Type: Accident  Highest Injury: Fatal   Mid Air: N  Missing: N
 Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
 City: OWATONNA          State: MN  Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 ACFT CRASHED INTO A RESIDENCE UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE FOUR PERSONS
 ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, AND THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED, OWATONNA, MN

INJURY DATA   Total Fatal:  4
         # Crew: 2   Fat:  2   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Pass:  2   Fat:  2   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Grnd:       Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 

WEATHER: METAR KOWA 020140Z AUTO 31009KT 7SM DZ OVC006 12/12 A2970         
                                          
                            

OTHER DATA
 Activity: Unknown   Phase: Unknown   Operation: General Aviation

 Departed: ROSEAU, MN         Dep Date:  Dep. Time:  
 Destination: OWATONNA, MN       Flt Plan: IFR     Wx Briefing: Y
 Last Radio Cont: UNK
 Last Clearance: UNK

 FAA FSDO: MINNEAPOLIS, MN (GL15)        Entry date: 06/02/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov