At 19:09 CST, the pilot and instructor aboard a Cessna 310N were killed after losing control shortly after takeoff from runway 21 at Danville-Vermilion County Airport. IMC prevailed but no flight plan was filed. A witness who had landed about 30 minutes earlier said the CFI asked him over the radio what the cloud bases were. The witness said he reported the cloud bases were 1,700 feet msl. Witnesses said the airplane climbed to about 100 to 200 feet, then the engines made an unusual noise and the airplane started a high rate descent toward the runway. The plane recovered into level flight for a few seconds, then began a climb which took the aircraft into the clouds. Both engines showed signs of producing power at the time of impact.
Dec. 9, Danville, Ill. / Cessna 310
At 19:09 CST, the pilot and instructor aboard a Cessna 310N were killed after losing control shortly after takeoff from runway 21 at Danville-Vermilion County Airport. IMC prevailed but no flight plan was filed. A witness who had landed about 30 minutes earlier said the CFI asked him over the radio what the cloud bases were. The witness said he reported the cloud bases were 1,700 feet msl. Witnesses said the airplane climbed to about 100 to 200 feet, then the engines made an unusual noise and the airplane started a high rate descent toward the runway. The plane recovered into level flight for a few seconds, then began a climb which took the aircraft into the clouds. Both engines showed signs...
Key Takeaways:
- A Cessna 310N crashed shortly after takeoff from Danville-Vermilion County Airport, killing both the pilot and instructor.
- The accident occurred under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) with no flight plan filed, despite the CFI having inquired about cloud bases prior to takeoff.
- After an initial climb, witnesses reported unusual engine noise and a rapid descent, followed by a brief recovery before the aircraft climbed into clouds and subsequently crashed with both engines producing power.
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