# Accident 20110724014329A: Piper PA 46-350P, Rantoul, IL, July 24, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 24, 2011, 09:22 local time
- Place: Rantoul, IL
- Airport: Rantoul Natl Avn Cntr-Frank El
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2853° N, 88.1531° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2853&lon=-88.1531&mi=10
- Aircraft: N46TW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N46TW-2017-10-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA 46-350P (registry code 7104620, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA 46-350P
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,917 total, 1,200 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11FA500](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA500) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110724014329A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT OF N46TW, A PA-46 AIRCRAFT, CONDUCTED A TAKEOFF MANEUVER ON RUNWAY 27 AT THE RANTOUL, ILLINOIS AIRPORT (KTIP), AT APPROXIMATELY 0922 LOCAL TIME, FOR AN IFR FLIGHT TO FLORIDA. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AND WHILE STILL IN THE VICINITY OF THE RANTOUL AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED THE LEADING EDGE OF AN AREA OF ADVERSE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH AN ADVANCING STORM SYSTEM.A WITNESS STATEMENT INDICATED THAT, AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A TURN TO THE SOUTH, STRONG WINDS FROM THE NORTHWEST APPEARED TO "PUSH" THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE UP AND THE NOSE DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED QUICKLY TOWARDS THE GROUND, STRIKING POWER LINES AND IMPACTING THE TERRAIN WHEREAS IT BURST INTO FLAMES APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE TO THE SOUTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE IMPACT RESULTED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND FATAL INJURIES TO ALL OCCUPANTS.  AT 0915 LOCAL TIME THE WINDS ON THE SUFRACE OF THE AIRPORT WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM THE NORTHWEST, (300 DEGREES) AT 14 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 21 KNOTS AND LIGHTNING DISTANT NORTH AND NORTHWEST.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN11FA500](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA500), Jul 24, 2011: Piper PA 46-350P (N46TW), Rantoul, IL, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain airplane control during takeoff with approaching thunderstorms. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to depart into adverse weather conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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