Beech T-34A accident near Champaign, Illinois, June 9, 1990
On June 9, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech T-34A, registered N54RF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Champaign, Illinois (Andrews Rla 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'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY FLARE THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING. THE ADVERSE WIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Champaign, Illinois · Andrews Rla · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech T-34A · all T-34As on the register
- Registration
- N54RF · registry record · serial G-140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WITH ONE PASSENGER ABOARD ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON A TURF RUNWAY. ON AN APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 36, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIGURED FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING. WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 315 DEGREES AT 15 GUSTING 20 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, AND THE NOSE GEAR AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,040 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,616 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1989; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB-11B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Atwood IL at 9:10 pm
- Destination: NONE Champaign IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:30 pm from CMI, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.