A Cessna 172, owned by Dr. Robert Brown, took off near Terminal A,headed north, about 8 p.m. Itdisappeared from radar screens approximately 11 minutes later. Searchcrews were dispatched to a heavily wooded area near Mount Herman Road,near the Durham-Wake County line.
Brown's wife, Meryl, said the family had just returned toRaleigh-Durham International Airport from a Colorado ski trip. She wasdriving the children home to Ahoskie; he was to fly his Cessna toFlorence, where he worked as an emergency room physician. He regularlycommuted by plane between Ahoskie and Florence.
Dense fog and drizzle made search byhelicopter impossible. Instead, four search teams worked the area by foot.
Right after the plane disappeared, the airport was shut down butreopened by 9:15 p.m.
Brown's official identification was made possible through dentalrecords.
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