Many Aircraft Reportedly Departed Williston Municipal Airport While Plane Wreckage Lay On Airport Grounds

An accident involving a vintage Cessna 170 that fatally injured four people went unreported for about 21 hours despite being passed by about a multiple planes departing from Williston Municipal Airport (X60) in central FL.

In a press release posted on the Williston Police Facebook page indicates that at 1:12 PM Sunday April 16, the Williston Police Department received a report of a plane crash at the Williston Airport. Upon arrival of the police officers, Williston Fire Rescue and Levy County EMS discovered the crash located on at the tree line on the north side of the taxiway at the eastern most part of the airport. 

The 1948 Cessna 170 was registered in Texas, according to the release.

The Gainesville (FL) Sun reports that the plane had arrived at Williston Airport on Saturday for a fly-in barbecue event. Clay Connolly, Williston deputy chief of police, said that the plane attempted to take off from the airport at 1510 local time Saturday and went down about 150 feet from the tree line at the north end of the taxiway.

 According to the report, between 20 and 30 aircraft departed from the airport after the accident Saturday, but it was not reported until the pilot of a jet alerted authorities about 21 hours after the accident occurred.
 
 Connolly said the plane was equipped with an ELT.

 (Image from the Williston police department Facebook page)

 FMI: www.ntsb.gov