Rantoul National Aviation Ctr. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rantoul, Illinois 61866
Saturday, June 25, 2011 11:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Rantoul
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61866
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401737N
Event Location Longitude 0880833W
Event Location Airport Rantoul National Aviation Ctr.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KTIP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 737
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID KCMI
Elevation of weather observation facility 755
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KCMI 251553Z VRB05KT 10SM CLR 23/14 A2997 RMK AO2
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29465
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Communications Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2011 4:37PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4106Q
NTSB Number CEN11LA418
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28R-201
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7737061
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 4 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4768
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Richard Q. Tarvin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Dewey
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61840-9603
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Richard Q. Tarvin
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Dewey
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 61840-9603
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KTIP
Departure City Rantoul
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KTIP
Destination City Rantoul
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2011 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --