Cessna 172M N12172

Summary

On 25 December 1997 at about 01:08 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N12172 was involved in an accident near Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 December 1997 at 01:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Raleigh-Durham Int'l (RDU)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N12172

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Florence

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA98FA045

1 person died.

Was loss of control of the airplane on initial climb after entering instrument flight conditions resulting in a turn opposite in direction from that given by ATC, and eventual collision with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The single piloted Cessna 172, (N12172) launched into 400 feet overcast, 6 miles visibility in light rain and fog weather conditions, at night, and when queried by the Raleigh-Durham departure controller what his heading was, he responded, '172 has got uh a vacuum problem'. Contrary to departure instructions to commence a right turn after take-off, N12172 entered a left turn after take-off that continued for 2 1/2 minutes until ground impact about 1.3 miles northwest of the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.