What happened
The single-pilot Cessna 172 (registration N12172) departed at night under instrument meteorological conditions. The weather consisted of a 400-foot overcast ceiling, six miles visibility, light rain, and fog. Shortly after takeoff, the Raleigh-Durham departure controller queried the pilot regarding his current heading.
The pilot responded that the aircraft was experiencing a vacuum system problem. Despite receiving specific departure instructions to execute a right turn after leaving the airport environment, the pilot instead initiated a left turn. This maneuver continued for approximately two and a half minutes before the aircraft impacted the ground. The crash site was located approximately 1.3 miles northwest of the departure airport.
Findings
The accident investigation identified several critical factors contributing to the event. The primary mechanical issue was a failure of the vacuum system, which likely impaired the pilot's ability to maintain proper orientation and control of the aircraft in instrument conditions. Additionally, the pilot deviated from the air traffic control departure instructions by turning left instead of right, leading to an uncontrolled descent into terrain.