Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Rantoul, Illinois, June 25, 2011
On June 25, 2011 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N4106Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Rantoul, Illinois (Rantoul National Aviation Ctr. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not use the emergency landing gear extension system, which resulted in a wheels-up landing. Contributing to the accident was the inoperative landing gear power pack motor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2011 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rantoul, Illinois · Rantoul National Aviation Ctr. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N4106Q · registry record · serial 28R-7737061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the landing gear did not fully retract after takeoff. He elected to return to the departure airport for a wheels-up landing after several unsuccessful attempts to retract the landing gear. The pilot did not use the emergency extension system after noticing that the green landing gear position lights were not illuminated. A postaccident examination revealed that the main landing gear were extended about 1-foot below their respective wheel wells. The nose landing gear was fully retracted into its respective wheel well and its gear doors were closed. Further examination revealed that the electrical motor for the landing gear power pack did not function due to excessive brush wear. The landing gear extended properly using the emergency extension system during a postaccident test.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 543 hours in all; 543 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 4, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,768 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTIP Rantoul IL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: KTIP Rantoul IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KCMI, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.