Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Detroit Lakes, Minnesota 56501
Friday, December 7, 2012 22:34 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While climbing on a night, instrument departure, with the autopilot most likely engaged, the airplane entered into an unusual attitude. Although both pilots recalled a left climbing turn that transitioned into a left descending spiral, air traffic control radar information indicated a right climbing turn that transitioned into a right descending spiral. Both pilots stated that their attention had been focused away from the attitude indicators during the time immediately before the unusual attitude began. The pilot-in-command disconnected the autopilot and recovered the airplane by referencing the standby instruments. During the recovery, as the pilot pulled up from the nose-low attitude, both wings sustained structural damage.
Examination of the airplane revealed that the nose radome quick release latches were not water tight and that gaps in these latches allowed precipitation to enter the forward avionics bay. Although, avionics testing did not reveal any anomalies consistent with an uncommanded flight maneuver by the autopilot, moisture conditions were not introduced during any of the tests. While it is possible that the moisture caused a malfunction of the avionics, it could not be definitively determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of airplane control due to an undetermined avionics malfunction and the pilots’ inattention, which resulted in excessive airframe forces during the unusual attitude recovery. The reason for the avionics malfunction could not be determined because postaccident testing did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/7/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2234 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Detroit Lakes |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 56501 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 464915N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0960035W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2213 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 262 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KDTL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1397 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1900 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1900 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | 04:13-> METAR KDTL 080413Z AUTO 14003KT 10SM BKN0 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 6 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32476 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Federal Aviation Administratio |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 21 2013 4:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | folm |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N212M |
| NTSB Number | CEN13FA101 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 501 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 501-0280 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 12500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3612 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MAKAIRA AIRCRAFT SALES LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | HOOVER |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 35244-3270 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MAKAIRA AIRCRAFT SALES LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | HOOVER |
| Operator State | AL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 35244-3270 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | DTL |
| Departure City | Detroit Lakes |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2232 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | EKY |
| Destination City | Bessemer |
| Destination State | AL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 13 2014 3:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | folm |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |