This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
- History of Flight:
On November 23, 2025, at about 2139 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow III, N47700, registered to Indian River Flying Club Inc out of Rockledge, Florida, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Pittsfield, Illinois. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and two passengers sustained unknown injuries. The cross-country personal flight originated from the Anniston-County Airport (ANB/KANB), Anniston, Alabama, at about 1645 LT, and was presumably destined to Quincy Regional Airport (UIN/KUIN), Quincy, Illinois. Nighttime instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
According to preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane departed KANB and proceeded to an inflight cruising altitude of 8,100 ft. About 2 hours into the flight, the airplane descended to about 7,700 ft and continued northwest. About 3h52m into the flight, the airplane started its descent towards Quincy. At 2052 LT, the airplane started the RNAV 22 approach to KUIN. At 2059 LT, the airplane was descending through 900 ft roughly 0.80 mile from the runway 22 threshold when it aborted its approach and began a go-around. At 2100, the airplane entered a climbing left hand turn to 2,000 ft. At 2103, the airplane entered a right turn towards the southeast and continued climbing to about 3,100 ft. At 2120, the airplane was at 2,300 ft and flying over the Pittsfield Penstone Municipal Airport (PPQ/KPPQ) in Pittsfield, Illinois. At 2125, the airplane had climbed to 3,000 ft and was flying north, presumably on its way back to Quincy. However, at 2127, the airplane entered a left hand turn and was now heading back towards Pittsfield. At 2134, the airplane was descending through 2,700 ft, ~1 mile west of the airport, but was unable to land and overflew the airport at 1,500 ft. At 2035, the airplane continued descending and entered a left hand turn. At 2136:23, the airplane was at 800 ft, 116 knots groundspeed, and descending north of KPPQ. The last ADS-B return was recorded north of Interstate 72 at Exit 35, 2.20 miles northeast of the airport. The airplane was at 900 ft, 99 knots GS, with a positive average rate of 960 feet per minute (fpm).
The wreckage was located a short time later by police. Local media reported that there were three occupants onboard. However, the FAA ASIAS reported said that the pilot was the fatality, and that three passengers sustained minor injuries.
- Pilot Information:
Unknown at this point.
- Airplane Information:
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 28R-7837001, was manufactured in 1977. It was powered by a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360 engine driving a McCauley two-blade, constant-speed propeller.
The following are some specs of the accident aircraft model:
- Best Cruise Speed: 138 KIAS
- Best Range (i): 695 NM
- Fuel Burn @ 75%: 11.6 GPH
- Stall Speed: 55 KIAS
- Rate of climb: 831 FPM
- Gross Weight: 2,750 LBS
- Empty Weight: 1,637 LBS
- Fuel capacity: 72 GAL
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane came to rest upright and was not consumed by a post crash fire. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airplane, both wings and tail remained attached to the airframe. There was a small debris field leading to the main wreckage. At least two landing gears were noted in this debris field. The right wing appeared relatively intact and straight. The left wing was crumbled at the outboard tip. The outboard left elevator sustained notable impact damage. There was a cut in the front fuselage made by emergency personal to extract the victims.
- Airport Information:
KUIN is an uncontrolled airport. The airport field elevation was 768.7 ft. The airport features two runways, runway 4/22 and 13/31. There are several instrument approach procedures, including an RNAV (GPS) approach for runway 22.
KPPQ is an uncontrolled airport. The airport field elevation was 709.8 ft. The airport features a single runways 13/31. There are two instrument approach procedures, including an RNAV (GPS) approach for both 13 and 31.
The charted landing minimums at KUIN are a descent altitude of 1003 feet msl (250 feet agl), and a visibility of 3/4 mile.
According to the approach plate, during a missed approach procedure, aircraft must climb to 1300 then enter a climbing left turn to 2400 direct FANUT and hold.
- Weather:
The reported weather at KUIN, at 2054 included: winds 210 at 7 knots, 0.25 statute miles visibility, fog, a vertical visibility of 200 ft AGL, a temperature of 6° C, a dew point of 6° C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of mercury.
The reported weather at KUIN, at 2154 included: winds 180 at 6 knots, 0.25 statute miles visibility, fog, a vertical visibility of 200 ft AGL, a temperature of 6° C, a dew point of 6° C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.14 inches of mercury.
The reported weather at KPPQ, at 2115 included: winds 190 at 3 knots, 3 statute miles visibility, no clouds under 12,000 ft AGL, a temperature of 6° C, a dew point of 5° C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.16 inches of mercury.
The reported weather at KPPQ, at 2135 included: winds 190 at 6 knots, 0.75 statute miles visibility, an overcast ceiling at 300 ft AGL, a temperature of 6° C, a dew point of 6° C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.16 inches of mercury.
The reported weather at KPPQ, at 2155 included: winds 180 at 6 knots, 0.25 statute miles visibility, an overcast ceiling at 300 ft AGL, a temperature of 7° C, a dew point of 6° C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.16 inches of mercury.
The following TAF (Terminal aerodrome forecast) was issued at the time of the airplane's departure from Alabama:
TAF KUIN 231725Z 2318/2418 00000KT P6SM SKC
FM231900 VRB03KT P6SM FEW250
FM240300 17007KT P6SM BKN025
The updated TAF after departure from:
TAF KUIN 232337Z 2400/2424 17005KT P6SM SKC
FM240200 17006KT 1/2SM FG BKN003
FM240400 17006KT 1/4SM FG OVC002
FM241400 16007KT 3SM BR OVC006
FM241900 18009KT 5SM -SHRA OVC015
(1) METARs:
METAR KUIN 240219Z AUTO 20005KT 1/4SM FG VV003 05/05 A3014 RMK AO2 T00500050
METAR KUIN 240254Z AUTO 21007KT 1/4SM FG VV002 06/06 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP207 T00560056 56003
METAR KUIN 240354Z AUTO 18006KT 1/4SM FG VV002 06/06 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP208 T00610061
METAR KUIN 240454Z AUTO 17005KT 1/4SM FG VV002 07/07 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP199 T00670067
METAR KPPQ 240255Z AUTO 19003KT 5SM CLR 05/05 A3016 RMK AO2 T00520050
METAR KPPQ 240315Z AUTO 19003KT 3SM CLR 06/05 A3016 RMK AO2 T00560054
METAR KPPQ 240335Z AUTO 19006KT 3/4SM OVC003 06/06 A3016 RMK AO2 T00610059
METAR KPPQ 240355Z AUTO 18006KT 1/4SM OVC003 07/06 A3016 RMK AO2 T00650062
(2) Area Forecast Discussion:
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Saint Louis MO 508 PM CST Sun Nov 23 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... -Widespread light rain will move over the area Monday afternoon and overnight. -Dry weather and below normal temperatures will enter Wednesday and persist through Friday. && .SHORT TERM... (Through Late Monday Night) Issued at 225 PM CST Sun Nov 23 2025 This morning`s stratus continues to linger across central and east- central Missouri and into southern Illinois this afternoon. As low- level warm air advection along southerly flow continues into this evening and overnight, stratus will spread back out into areas that have cleared today. Combined with incoming high clouds from an approaching system, low temperatures tonight will remain elevated, in the 40s, and several degrees warmer than last night. Meanwhile, a strengthening mid-level trough is currently over the Four Corners region, it`s associated surface low sitting over the Texas panhandle. The mid-level trough will swing into the region Monday, pushing the surface low through the mid-Mississippi Valley. Warm air advection and low-level moisture convergence will produce widespread rain during the afternoon and evening Monday, extending overnight as the surface low moves east over the area. Everywhere will see at least some rain, and about 70% of the area will see at least 0.25" of rain. A few isolated areas may see up to 1.25" of rain, but this depends on the heaviest rain moving over the same area throughout the day. Delia && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday through Next Sunday) Issued at 225 PM CST Sun Nov 23 2025 While the first surface low will push east out of the region Tuesday, another surface low will move through the upper Mississippi Valley ahead of another mid-level trough moving from the Dakotas into the Great Lakes region Tuesday. This second low will swing a cold front through the forecast area Tuesday afternoon. While the mid-levels will be dry along the western side of the first low, lingering low-level moisture has a 20-30% chance of producing light rain/drizzle across the area along the front. The surface pressure gradient will tighten with the exit of this system, resulting in elevated northwesterly winds Tuesday evening and overnight. The 850 mb front will slide through the forecast area overnight, and cold Canadian air will surge into the region. After a mild day Tuesday with highs in the 50s, the advancing of this cold air mass will cause lows Tuesday night into Wednesday morning to drop into the 30s. Ensemble guidances shows a clear cooling trend with this air mass, resulting in highs in the 40s for the second half of the week, including the Thanksgiving holiday. Under deep northwesterly flow, the region will remain dry during this period. Weak mid-level ridging returns to the area Friday into Saturday, while another trough begins to dig into the West Coast. Flow quickly becomes southwesterly over the weekend as the trough deepens into the Four Corners region. At the same time, a surface low will develop over the south-central US, with southwesterly flow and warm air advection kicking off Saturday across our forecast area. Current guidance shows warm air advection precipitation, potentially interacting with a surface warm front, widespread across the region. While some guidance sources are indicating that at least some of this precipitation will fall as snow across the northern portions of our forecast area, confidence in this occurring is very low. The warm air advection nature of the precipitation, potentially falling during the day, doesn`t provide a lot of confidence for snow to maintain to the surface. Therefore we are continuing to forecast mostly rain during this period. Even so, a number of details remain in question at this point, including the timing and strength of the surface low and upper level support, the strength of the warm air advection, and timing of precipitation. All of this will determine precipitation type with this system. Delia && .AVIATION... (For the 00z TAFs through 00z Monday Evening) Issued at 504 PM CST Sun Nov 23 2025 It will not be a great night for air travel as IFR/LIFR is expected at all terminals. IFR stratus is expected to expand and continue to build down to the surface, resulting in lowered cigs and eventually vsbys at all sites tonight. The worst conditions are expected at COU/UIN, where vsbys less than a half mile are likely at times overnight. The forecast is a little more uncertain in metro St. Louis as the edge of the stratus is currently near CPS/STL. Even if they briefly go VFR, expect the stratus to fill back in overnight with reductions in vsbys as well at all St. Louis TAF sites. Cigs will rise slightly through the day on Monday, but as that occurs showers are expected to move through all terminals Monday afternoon into Monday evening.
&& .AVIATION... (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Monday Night) Issued at 1031 PM CST Sun Nov 23 2025 It will not be a great night for air travel as LIFR vsbys/cigs are plaguing all terminals. Expect all terminals to remain socked in with 1/4SM fog for most of the overnight hours. We should see improvement to vsbys first at KJEF/KCOU as thicker mid-level clouds move in, along with some increasing southerly flow and associated weak warm air advection. All sites are expected to improve their vsbys by later Monday morning, but incoming light rain will keep at least MVFR vsbys/cigs through much of the day, lasting into tonight. Deitsch && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM CST Monday for Audrain MO-Boone MO- Callaway MO-Cole MO-Crawford MO-Franklin MO-Gasconade MO- Iron MO-Jefferson MO-Knox MO-Lewis MO-Lincoln MO-Madison MO- Marion MO-Moniteau MO-Monroe MO-Montgomery MO-Osage MO-Pike MO-Ralls MO-Reynolds MO-Saint Charles MO-Saint Francois MO- Saint Louis City MO-Saint Louis MO-Sainte Genevieve MO- Shelby MO-Warren MO-Washington MO. IL...Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM CST Monday for Adams IL-Bond IL- Brown IL-Calhoun IL-Clinton IL-Fayette IL-Greene IL-Jersey IL-Macoupin IL-Madison IL-Marion IL-Monroe IL-Montgomery IL- Pike IL-Randolph IL-Saint Clair IL-Washington IL.
- Additional Information:
None at this time.
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