Beech A36 accident near Danville, Illinois, February 7, 2011
On February 7, 2011 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N6XZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Danville, Illinois (Vermilion Regional Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2011 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Danville, Illinois · Vermilion Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N6XZ · registry record · serial E-2047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while he was in the downwind leg of the traffic pattern he checked for runway contamination and the runway was clear and dry. He stated that his landing approach and touchdown on the runway centerline were uneventful. Approximately 500 feet into the landing roll, he applied right brake pressure, and the airplane immediately entered a right swerve. He stated that he was unable to regain directional control with the full application of left rudder and brake inputs. The airplane continued in the right swerve, departing off the right side of the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed during the runway excursion, damaging the left wing closeout rib and aft spar. The pilot's statement that airplane continued to track the runway centerline for 500 feet after touchdown, before his first application of brake pressure, suggests that the disk-brake components and rotor were clear of any contamination such as ice and/or snow during the landing roll. Further, if there had been any contamination, the rotational energy at touchdown would have broken loose any ice or snow. A postaccident examination of the airplane's right wheel and disk-brake components did not reveal any preimpact anomalies or failures that would have prevented normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,050 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 765 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 19, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,055 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-BSF (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kahler Automation Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: KFRM Fairmont MN at 2:00 pm
- Destination: KDNV Danville IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 3,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:25 pm from KDNV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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.