Cessna 501 accident near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, December 8, 2012
On December 8, 2012 at about 4:34 am local time, a Cessna 501, registered N212M, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2012 · about 4:34 am local time
- Place
- Detroit Lakes, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 501 · all 501s on the register
- Registration
- N212M · registry record · serial 501-0280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Inflight upset during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › (general) › Flight crew
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › (general) › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Flight crew
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,161 hours in all; 810 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 9,850 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 11, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,498 hours in all; 273 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,225 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 20, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,612 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada JT15D-1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada JT15D-1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Makaira Aircraft Sales LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DTL Detroit Lakes MN at 4:32 am
- Destination: EKY Bessemer AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:13 am from KDTL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N212M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.