I was able to get some information from the Aviation Safety Network site:
Accident Piper PA-28-235 N8991W, 31 May 2020
The aircraft impacted the terrain in Macoupin County south of Carlinville, Illinois. The airplane sustained unr...
The Flight Aware link is very interesting. At around 3:19 P.M., CDT, it shows a takeoff from an airport near St. Louis. The flight proceeded some 54 miles in a northeasterly direction until it crashed at approximately 3:46 P.M., just south of Carlinville, Illinois. The aircraft flew at a relatively low altitude (1200 - 1300 ft.) for around nine minutes until climbing to an altitude of around 5300 ft. some 20 minutes after takeoff. The aircraft continued in a roughly northeast direction until entering a left turn at 4:43 P.M., CDT. The turn continued for around 2-1/2 minutes until it abruptly tightened and the aircraft started to lose altitude. The initial rate of descent recorded by FlightAware was 727 fpm, but increased rapidly to 4182 fpm, finally reaching 6353 fpm at the time of assumed impact.
Something apparently happened, causing the aircraft to depart controlled flight with no recovery. Who knows what caused the loss of control, and any theories I have would be mere conjecture at this point.
Well, when it comes to conjecture, that's my middle name, so here goes:
- The PA-28-235 can carry a load of around 1465 lbs, and even with a full load of fuel (50 gal.) and assuming an average weight of occupants of 200 pounds, the airplane should not have been over-loaded. Of course, I'm assuming (dangerous I know) that the flight was a local sight-seeing flight involving no baggage.
- Four fraternity brothers were involved, and we all know that frat-bros tend to be "enthusiastic" in one another's company, perhaps to the detriment of external awareness.
- This was a mid afternoon flight, possibly after a long lunch.
- The final left turn may have been to observe something on the ground and may have been tightened to the point that the airplane entered an accelerated stall.
- The stall resulted in a spin.
- Spin recovery is no longer part of the primary flight instruction syllabus.
I just don't know much about the crash, other than it was a tragedy for the victims and their families. R.I.P.
Regards,
Grog