NTSB Identification: CEN13LA101
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, December 07, 2012 in Grand Forks, ND
Aircraft: CESSNA 501, registration: N212M
Injuries: 6 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On December 7, 2012, about 2234 central standard time, a Cessna 501 airplane, N212M, was substantially damaged during recovery from an in-flight upset while departing from Detroit Lakes Airport (KDTL), Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. The two pilots and four passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to Makaira Aircraft Sales LLC and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 while on an instrument flight plan. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the flight level of the accident, which had an intended destination of Bessemer Airport (KEKY), Bessemer, Alabama.

While climbing through approximately 7,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL), with the autopilot engaged, the pilots stated the attitude indicator for the pilot in command (PIC) became inoperative and the autopilot rolled the aircraft into an unusual attitude. The PIC disengaged the autopilot and recovered the aircraft to level flight, primarily by referencing the turn needle and directional gyro. Both wings were substantially damaged by aerodynamic forces during the recovery maneuver. The pilots diverted to Grand Forks International Airport (KGFK), Grand Forks, North Dakota and landed without further incident.

Index for Dec2012 | Index of months