Roanoke Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roanoke, Virginia 24022
Saturday, March 30, 1985 20:02 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED HE RAN A FUEL TANK DRY DURING FLT AT 6000 FT. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP & MANIP-ULATED THE ENG CONTROLS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG. DURING A FORCED LANDING ON I-581, THE ACFT STRUCK A PICKUP TRUCK (TRAVELING IN THE SAME DRCTN), THEN VEERED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. NONE OF THE OCCUPANTS IN THE TRUCK WERE INJURED. ANEXAM REVEALED ALL FUEL TANKS CONTAINED FUEL EXCEPT THE L MAIN TANK. THE BOOST PUMP SW WAS FND IN THE 'PRIME' POSITION, A CONDITION WHICH COULD CAUSE FLOODING OF THE ENG. DETAILS OF AIR RESTART PROCEDURE & BOOST PUMP POSITION NOMENCLATURE DIFFER BETWEEN MANUALS/ACFT MARKINGS. FUEL MANAGEMENT FOR THE 4 TANKS REQUIRED POSITIONING 2 SELECTOR VALVES THRU 6 POSSIBLE POSITIONS. TWO FUEL GAGES WERE INSTALLED; 1 WAS FOR THE 2 MAIN TANKS, THE OTHER WAS FOR THE 2 AUX TANKS. THE GAGES INDICATED ONLY THE QUANTITY OF FUEL IN THE SELECTED TANK. THE OTHER GAGE READ EMPTY WHEN NEITHER OF ITS RESPECTIVETANKS WERE SELECTED. FLT MANUAL PROVIDED ONLY LIMITED INFO ON FUEL SYS. PLT'S FACE INJURED, NO SHOULDER HARNESS INSTLD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2002
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ROANOKE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24022
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROANOKE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ROA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 942
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2014 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID ROA
Elevation of weather observation facility 942
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2417
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 30 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30050
Date of most recent change to record Feb 21 2002 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8233R
NTSB Number BFO85FA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 17-30414
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
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 Aug 16 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 1623
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES R. MONTGOMERY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 606 LANDSDOWNE DR.
Aircraft Owner City BLACKSBURG
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24060
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RIC
Departure City RICHMOND
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BCB
Destination City BLACKSBURG
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --