# Accident 20160721010779A: Piper PA-30, Plainfield, IL, July 21, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 21, 2016, 11:15 local time
- Place: Plainfield, IL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.5550° N, 88.2075° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5550&lon=-88.2075&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7409Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7409Y-2018-03-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 979 total, 671 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16FA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA276) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160721010779A

## Narrative

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

AFTER AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP, THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.  AIRCRAFT PARTS AND DEBRIS WERE DISCOVERED TO BE WITHIN A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE PRIMARY AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT SITE.  THE LEFT ENGINE WAS LOCATED TWO BLOCKS SOUTH.  THE LEFT PROPELLER, SPINNER, AND LEFT FUEL TIP TANK WAS LOCATED FURTHER SOUTH FROM THE LOCATION OF THE ENGINE.  THE LOWER PORTION OF THE LEFT WING AND LEADING EDGE WAS LOCATED IN THE VICINITY SOUTH AND SOUTH EAST.  THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.  NO OTHER INJURIES ON THE GROUND WERE SUSTAINED.  A NEARBY RESIDENCE RECEIVED MAJOR DAMAGE DUE TO FIRE FROM EJECTED FIERY DEBRIS AND FUEL FROM THE IMPACT.

## 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 CEN16FA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA276), Jul 21, 2016: Piper PA 30 (N7409Y), Plainfield, IL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during an en route climb near convective activity, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, an uncontrolled descent, and a subsequent in-flight breakup…

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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