Raleigh-Durham Area Aircraft Accidents

Master List


Last updated November 5, 2019

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Criteria for inclusion:

Most hard landings, belly landings, roadway landings, and gear collapse landings excluded.

See also:

Date  Location  Time Airport
Name
 
Proximity to Airport Fatal Injured Make  Model  NTSB
Report?
Notes
8/26/1925 Coats       Fatal(1)       No  
1/11/1929 Raleigh   Poindexter Field   Fatal(1)   Airstrip outside city. Raleigh FD responds. First fatal plane crash in Raleigh.
2/10/1929 Harnett County 4:30 p.m.     Fatal(1) (1) Curtis     Crashed at farm between Erwin and Dunn.
12/25/1929 Angier       Fatal(2)         Exact location TBD.
2/12/1940 Raleigh   Raleigh Municipal   Fatal(2)   Fairchild 24 Crashes 300 yards south of airport.
11/10/1941 Raleigh   Raleigh Municipal   Fatal(1) (1) Douglas A-24 No
Army
Crashes on approach to airport, lands in middle of tent encampment.
8/9/1942 Raleigh   Raleigh Municipal   Fatal(3) (5) B-26B bomber No
Army
Twin-engine bomber crashes at end of runway after take-off.
10/29/1943 Raleigh     Fatal(2)   L-5 No
Army
Pair of pursuit planes crash on Garner highway, about three miles south of airport. Raleigh FD responds.
5/9/1944 Raleigh     Fatal(2)   B-17 Bomber No
Army
Crashes into woods, five miles se of Raleigh. Raleigh FD responds.
12/13/1944 Raleigh       Fatal (1 or more)     B-25C   Army Air Force.
1/15/1947 Wake Forest     Fatal(4)   Light plane crashes into woods five miles west of wake forest. Raleigh FD responds.
6/1/1947 Raleigh   O'Neal Flying Service Field   Fatal(2)   Light plane crashes during air show at airfield, located two miles north of Raleigh.
10/19/1950 Fuquay Springs       Fatal (1)     TF-51H   Air Force.
4/1/1951 Raleigh-Durham   Raleigh-Durham         Saber   Air Force fighter belly landing on runway after engine failure.
1/2/1953 Morrisville ~10:41 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  Near airport Fatal(3) (1) C-47 Transport No
Army
Crashes at Crabtree Creek State Park (Umstead State Park) while attempting emergency landing. One survivor, who walks to airport and arrives at Eastern Airlines office at 1:00 a.m.
1/7/1956 Chapel Hill   Horace Williams .5 miles from airport Fatal (1) (1)   T-33-A   Air Force training jet.
8/1/1964 Raleigh 11:00 a.m. Raleigh Municipal On property Fatal(1) (1) Piper J4fF Yes Crashes after taking off.
2/21/1965 RDU   RDU             Light plane crashes on take-off. Four occupants escape injury, walk about a mile to runway, and flag down a United Airlines plane about to take off.
2/25/1965 Morrisville ~10:45 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  .5 miles from airport Fatal(5)   Cessna 82 Yes Crashes into middle of 55-acre lake at Umstead State Park south of airport. Plane found submerged except for portion of tail.
6/27/1965 Raleigh-Durham    Raleigh-Durham  On property? Fatal(1)   Bensen B8M Yes One-person rotocraft. Crashes during third day of popular rotocraft association fly-in.
10/22/1966 Morrisville ~11:30 a.m Raleigh-Durham  On property Fatal(1)   Bensen B8M Yes One-person rotocraft. Crashes at end of runway.
5/10/1967 Orange County 12:20 p.m.     Fatal (2)     T-28   Military training plane.
5/10/1967 Chapel Hill   Horace Williams     (3)        
4/24/1968 Hillsborough 1:15 a.m.      Fatal(1)   Cessna 172 Yes Crashes at during low level flight, while trying to maintain visual ground contact. Alcohol impairment cited in NTSB report.
12/17/1968 Raleigh-Durham  12:20 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  On property, ~.5 miles from main terminal Fatal(1) (2) Beech D55  Yes Crashes at about  while taking off, and lands about 2300 feet from end of runway.
7/10/1969 Clayton 11:45 a.m.      Fatal(1)   Piper J3C-65  Yes Crashes at  in an open field and burns, while spraying crops.
9/16/1969 Wake Forest 7:07 a.m.     Fatal(1)   Piper PA-23  Yes Crashes while on radar vector approach, destination Raleigh, strikes trees.
11/29/1969 Apex 11:50 a.m. Beckwith Airstrip   Fatal(1)   Piper J3C  Yes Crashed after experiencing engine failure on take-off.
1/10/1970 Benson   McLamb Airstrip Within 0.25 mile Fatal(3) (1) Cessna 172K   Four aboard, one survivor. Alcohol impairment cited in report.
4/2/1970 Morrisville   Raleigh-Durham  Near airport Fatal(5)   Cessna 401A  Yes Crashes south of Interstate 40 at night, while attempting landing in fog. Crash site found in morning. 
8/20/1970 Garner 5:30 p.m. Raleigh Municipal 4 miles from airport Fatal(1)   Piper PA-28  Yes Crashes after striking power lines. Unwarranted low flying cited in NTSB report.
8/29/1970  Raleigh 7:50 a.m. Raleigh  Municipal near airport   (3) minor Cessna Cardinal   Crashes into two mobile homes at Mobile Home Brokers Inc. on US 70 east, after taking off at the airport. Garner FD responded. There was no fire.
11/8/1970 Bahama 3:08 p.m.      Fatal(2)   Cessna 150H  Yes Crashes after striking power lines across a lake and sinking. Destination Raleigh from Kinston. Unwarranted low flying cited in NTSB report.
11/28/1971 Fuquay-Varina   Private airstrip   Fatal(1) (2) Piper PA-28   Three aboard, two survivors.
12/4/1971 Raleigh-Durham  1:46 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  Near airport Fatal(2)   Cessna 6 Yes Midair collision when DC-9 on final approach descends on top of Cessna, which crashes. Jet with 27 souls lands without incident.
12/4/1971 Raleigh-Durham    Raleigh-Durham    Fatal(2)   Douglas DC-9  Yes See above. Landed safely.
4/13/1972 Raleigh-Durham   Raleigh-Durham     (2) Cessna 182   Crash lands on rural road, becomes entangled in power lines.
7/22?/1972 Cary 12:55 a.m. Raleigh-Durham     (3) Cessna 180   Crashes into the parking lot of a store, after running out of fuel and striking some high-voltage lines at about 12:55 a.m. Three aboard, with injuries.
9/17/1974 Raleigh 4:02 p.m. Raleigh-Durham    Fatal(2)   Piper PA-28  Yes  
1/5?/1975 Morrisville ~2:30 p.m. Raleigh-Durham     (2) Bellanca Viking 300   Crashes into wooded area about 50 feet off Highway 54, ends up about 200 feet from entrance to mobile home park.
9/5/1975 Holly Springs 5:15 p.m.      Fatal(1)   Woods WT-17  Yes Crashes after airframe failure in flight. Departed from Holly Springs for local flight.
11/12/1975 RDU   RDU     (8)       Boeing 727 crash lands short of runway. Eight injuries, one serious.
6/19/1977 Raleigh        Fatal(1)   Cessna 150E Yes Crashes on Ridge Road after striking steeple of church.
2/13/1978 Morrisville 8:02 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  Near airport Fatal(4) (2) AeroCommander 680FL Yes Crashes south of Interstate 40. Site found hours after disappearing from radar, and with hundreds of searchers including a Coast Guard helicopter. Two survivors.
2/12/1980 Raleigh-Durham  8:02 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  On property Fatal(2)   Bellanca 17-30A  Yes Crashes at airport while practicing take-offs and landings.
2/7/1981 Chapel Hill 7:10 p.m. Horace Williams Over mile from airport Fatal(7)   Cessna 340A Yes Strikes trees while attempting landing. Wreckage found near house on Homestead Road, more than a mile N of airport. Six adults and one child aboard. Plane traveled 500 to 600 yards after striking the trees, before hitting the ground and turning over.
6/5/1981 Chapel Hill 8:20 a.m. Horace Williams Near airport Fatal(1) (3) Piper PA-22  Yes Crashes after take-off into thick forest, near a residence on Homestead Road.
10/30/1981 Chapel Hill ~10:00 p.m. Horace Williams     (1) Piper Comanche   Crashed into woods behind elementary school.
3/18/1982 Knightdale 6:30 p.m. Wendell-Knightdale  ~1.5 miles from airport Fatal(2)   Bede Aircraft BD-4  Yes Crashes on approach to airport, struck top of trees and crashed three miles from Knightdale, near rural unpaved road 2236.
7/25/1983 Louisburg 2:30 p.m.   Half mile from end of runway Fatal(4)   Cessna 182A Yes Crashes into trees after taking off. Craft was carrying jumpers for parachute club. Five aboard, one survivor.
8/15/1983 Fuquay Varina                 Light plane loses power after taking off from South Raleigh Airport, "crashes into horse" when landing in a pasture. Horse killed.
9/25/1983 Benson 8:58 a.m.     Fatal(3)   Cessna 1972 Yes Crashes after striking power lines.
2/22/1985 Morrisville   Raleigh-Durham  Near airport Fatal(1)   McClellan J. Grote Dragonfly  Yes Experimental home-built plane, crashes shortly after takeoff at Umstead State Park.
10/1/1985 Chapel Hill 3:20 p.m. Hogan (09W) At airstrip Fatal(2)   Cessna 172 Yes Crashes while landing at the private airstrip on Lake Hogan Farm.
7/24/1986 Raleigh-Durham  8:45 a.m. Raleigh-Durham  Near airport Fatal(2)   Piper PA-60-600  Yes Crashes at Umstead State Park, after observed losing altitude immediately after taking off.
9/26/1986 Apex 4:45 p.m. Deck Airpark  At airport Fatal(1)   Piper TG8-J3C-65  Yes Crashes into hangar, while practicing takeoffs and landings.
2/19/1988 Raleigh-Durham   9:27 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  On property, ~3000 west of runway Fatal(12)   Fairchild SA227-AC  Yes Commuter jet crashes shortly after take-off. Skimmed the surface of a reservoir and struck ground and trees.
5/25/1988 Raleigh-Durham  ~9:13 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  Near airport Fatal(2)   Piper PA-28R-200  Yes Piper and Cessna collide at 9:13 p.m. after departing airport for formation flight. Piper crashes, but Cesena lands with failed nose gear.
8/21/1988 Pittsboro 4:00 a.m. Horace Williams 12 miles from airport. Fatal(1)   Piper PA-32-300 Yes Alcohol cited as factor in NTSB report.
6/11/1989 Garner 7:17 a.m.    Fatal(3)   BalloonWorks Firefly 8 Yes Balloon crashes after colliding with TV tower support cables on Highway 70.
8/10/1989 Wake Forest 11:23 a.m. Raleigh-Durham ~10 miles from airport Fatal(1)   Beech E55  Yes Crashes into woods behind a house near intersection of NC 50 and NC 98, six minutes after taking off.
8/11/1989 Chapel Hill 9:18 p.m. Horace Williams Near airport Fatal(1)   Beech A-36  Yes Crashes while approaching airport.
12/7/1991 Fuquay-Varina 12:15 a.m.      Fatal(3)   Aerospatiale AS350D Astar  Yes News helicopter crashes while returning from reporting assignment. Crashed into open rural field off US 401. One survivor, injured, who walks half-mile through dense woods to get help.
2/18/1992 Raleigh 10:52 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  ~1 mile from airport Fatal(2)   Piper PA-28R-200  Yes Crashes on approach to airport, in wooded area about a half-mile behind car dealership at 9100 Glenwood Avenue.
3/1/1992 Raleigh                 Runaway hot air balloon crashes after getting tangled in traffic signal lines. No injuries.
4/17/1993 RDU   RDU             DC-10 becomes stuck in mud on runway.
12/11/1993 Chapel Hill 4:15 p.m. Horace Williams Near airport Fatal(3)   Beech M35  Yes Crashes near Finley Golf Course, minutes after taking off. Struck the ground and burned after attempting an emergency landing. Pilot had reported having engine problems.
9/28/1994 Knightdale 9:47 a.m. Raleigh East (W17) 2 miles from airport Fatal(1)   Robinson R-22B  Yes Helicopter crashes into wooded area near airport.
12/13/1994 Morrisville ~6:40 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  3.5 SW of airport Fatal(15)   British Aerospace Jetstream 3201  Yes Commuter plane crashes into woods off Davis Drive, on final approach to airport. Responders uses tractors and off-road vehicles to reach site. Five survivors. More details
7/5/1995 Raleigh-Durham  4:20 a.m. Raleigh-Durham  On property, ~.5 mile from NE end of 23L Fatal(2)   Piper PA-28R-200  Yes Crashes half-mile from runway, after diverted from Franklin County airport.
4/20/1997 Apex 12:00 p.m.      Fatal(2)   Boeing Stearman N2S-4  Yes Crashes into Jordan Lake, about a mile north of Highway 64 bridge, in about 20 feet of water.
12/24/1997 Raleigh-Durham  8:08 p.m. Raleigh-Durham On property, ~1.3 miles from geographic center Fatal(1)   Cessna 172M  Yes Crashes into woods after take-off. Wreckage located at 11:18 p.m.
5/14/2000 Apex 1:15 p.m. Cox airfield Near airstrip Fatal(2)   Mclarty Vans RV-4  Yes Crashes after takeoff and struck ground and trees.
7/30/2000 Smithfield 1:55 p.m. Johnston County At airport Fatal(2)   Leslie Briggs GLASAIR III Yes Crashes after take-off.
7/31/2000 Raleigh 12:34 a.m. Raleigh-Durham.  ~2.5 miles Fatal(1)   DeHavilland DHC-6-200  Yes Crashes near center of Umstead state park, while on approach. Wreckage discovered across Company Mill Road by Park Ranger who smelled jet fuel, at 3:28 a.m.
3/10/2001 Durham County                 Light plane crashes and lodges into tree about 50 feet from ground, near Interstate 85 and Falls Lake. Two aboard are injured in the 11:30 a.m. crash.
4/2/2001 Smithfield   Johnston
County
At airport Fatal(1)   Jacques J. Mistrot Skybolt Yes First flight of experimental aircraft, crashes on take-off.
12/12/2001 Raleigh 7:04 p.m. Raleigh-Durham International  ~2 miles from airport Fatal(3)   Piper PA-46-350p  Yes Crashes on approach and into house about 2 miles SE of airport. No injuries on ground.
3/31/2002 Apex 11:53 a.m. Raleigh-Durham    Fatal(2)   Piper PA-34-200t  Yes Crashes at  after experiencing in-flight break-up on approach to airport.
3/26/2004 RDU   RDU         F-18   Navy F/18 Hornet explodes on take-off. Pilot safely ejects. Plane continues rolling and comes to rest about 250 feet from Terminal A.
5/3/2004 Cary 3:20 p.m. Raleigh-Durham  ~5 miles from airport Fatal(2)   Mooney M20M  Yes Crashes into a lake near Brampton Moors apartments off W. Chatham Street, while on approach to RDU. Plane made two attempts to land, aborted, and then clipped trees before crashing into lake. Responders located the downed craft at 3:45 a.m.
5/5/2004 Chatham/Lee County ~ 8:30 p.m.     Fatal(2)   Apache AH-64A No
National Guard
Crashes near Buckhorn Dam on the county line  The attack helicopter was not carrying any weapons.
5/14/2004 Louisburg 3:10 p.m. Louisburg   Fatal(1)   Hughes 269A Yes Helicopter operated by Franklin County Sherriff's crashes , after colliding with trees shortly after taking off on a mission as part of an ongoing drug interdiction program. Two aboard, one survivor.
5/16/2004 Morrisville 7:16 p.m. Raleigh-Durham At airport Fatal(1)   Beech A36  Yes Crashed near runway, on approach, after losing engine power and striking power lines.
7/17/2004 Durham 11:00 a.m. Lake Ridge Aero Park (8NC8)  At airport. Fatal(1)   Pitts S-1  Yes Crashes while landing.
9/21/2007 Clayton 10:10 a.m.      Fatal(1)   North American Navion  Yes Crashes into a restaurant on Highway 70. NC USAR Task Force 8 activated to assist Clayton FD.
6/14/2008 Dunn 6:30 a.m. Private airstrip At airstrip Fatal(1)   Airborne Edge Yes Crashes at on a go-around a private field. Pilot extricated from craft and transported to hospital, where he died.
7/12/2010 Chapel Hill 3:13 p.m. Horace Williams Airport (LGX)   Fatal(1) (2) Cirrus SR20  Yes Crashes at while landing, after striking trees after veering off runway. Three aboard, two survivors.
10/21/2014 Bahama 10:44 a.m. Lake Ridge Aero Park (8NC8)  Near airport Fatal(1)   Beech D95A Yes Crashes at after take-off. Two aboard, one survivor with serious injuries.
3/8/2017 Apex       Fatal(1)          
3/1/2019 Louisburg       Fatal(3)          
10/20/19 Raleigh       Fatal(2)         Crashes on approach, into Umstead State Park.
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