# Accident 19971224039389A: Cessna 172M, Raleigh-Durham, NC, December 24, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 24, 1997, 20:08 local time
- Place: Raleigh-Durham, NC
- Airport: Raleigh-Durham International
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.8909° N, 78.7947° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from the FAA’s distance and direction from , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8909&lon=-78.7947&mi=10
- Aircraft: N12172, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N12172-1998-04-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 700 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98FA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98FA045) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971224039389A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE SINGLE PILOTED CESSNA 172, (N12172) LAUNCHED INTO 400 F EET 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.                               (-23)12/24/97: AIRCRAFT N12172 TAKEOFF FROM RDU AT ABOUT 0104Z INTO IMC WEATHER FROM RUNWAY 5R WITH A RIGHT TURN OUT TO A HEADING OF 120.  SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, CONTROLLER'S CALLED PILOT TO FIND OUT WHY HE WAS MAKING A LEFT TURNOUT.  PILOT REPORTED HE AHD A VACUUM PUMP FAILURE.  AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ABOUT 1.3 NM OF RDU AIRPORT.  BURN UP FROM BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT FORWARD.  (FATAL TO PILOT)

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA98FA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98FA045), Dec 25, 1997: Cessna 172M (N12172), Raleigh-Durham, NC, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: 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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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