Cessna 172M N12912

Summary

On 22 June 1998 at about 02:00 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N12912 was involved in an accident near Hebron, Connecticut, 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

22 June 1998 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Hebron, Connecticut, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N12912

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hartford → Willimantic

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD98FA072

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing which resulted in inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation. Factors in this accident were low ceilings and fog.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated private pilot departed in night visual meteorological conditions without obtaining a weather briefing. Weather at the destination airport, 22 miles east of the departure airport, was IMC. Satellite imagery taken at about the time of the accident, revealed low stratus clouds and fog present at the accident site area. Radar data indicated that about 9 miles east of the destination airport, the airplane initiated a right hand turn, and completed two circles, with the radius of the second circle smaller than the first. The airplane's altitude readout fluctuated throughout the maneuver. The airplane impacted in a heavily wooded area and was scattered over 250 feet. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions of the airframe or engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.