# Accident 19980621014609A: Cessna 172M, Hebron, CT, June 21, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 21, 1998, 22:00 local time
- Place: Hebron, CT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.6579° N, 72.3659° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Hebron, CT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6579&lon=-72.3659&mi=10
- Aircraft: N12912, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N12912-1999-03-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,962 total, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD98FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980621014609A

## Narrative

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

CRASHED INTO HAZY DARK NIGHT. FEW GROUND LIGHTS. INDICATES SPATAL DISORIEN TATION AND SPRIAL DIVE. VFR ONLY PILOT. (.4)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.                         (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HFD ON 06/21/98 AT 2150 LOCAL FOR NIGHT LANDING PRACTICE AT IJD.  HFD WX WAS VFR, ASOS AT IFD WAS 700 OVC.  SUSPECT THE NON-INST RATED PVT PILOT ENCOUNTERED IMC OR FOG AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS APPROX 7 MIL                                   ES FROM HFD, BECAME DISORIENTATED, LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STRUCK TERRAIN APPROX 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF IN A HEAVILY WOODED STATE PARK IN HEBRON, CT. THE PILOT WAS NOT REPORTED OVERDUE UNTIL THE MORNING UNTIL HIS WIFE BEGAN LOOKING FOR HIM.  A SEARCH WAS INITIATED ON THE GROUND IN A SUSPECT AREA ON THE AFTERNOON OF 06/22/98.  THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRPLANE AND BODY OF THE PILOT WAS DISCOVERED BY A SEARCHER AT APPROX 2000L AND REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES AT APPROX 2030L.  THE NE COMM CENTER NOTIFIED FSDO 03 AT THE SAME TIME.  THE ELT DID NOT ACTIVATE BECAUSE IT WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OFFICIAL WX SOURCE BEING UTILIZED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT EXCEPT FOR THE HFD ATIS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.  THE NTSB WAS ON SCENE JUNE 23 AND 24 TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF FSDO 03, CESSNA REP, LYCOMING REP AND BDL TRACON.

## 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 IAD98FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA072), Jun 22, 1998: Cessna 172M (N12912), Hebron, CT, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: 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…

## Other reports on N12912 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19791115034669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791115034669A), Nov 15, 1979: Cessna 172 (N12912), Gaines, PA, Substantial damage. Stud pilot on cross-country ran into snow-showers. Tried to land, aborted, hit trees on rising terrain on climb.

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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