Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Roanoke Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Roanoke, Virginia 24019
Saturday, November 3, 2001 12:45 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While on departure climb, and less than 1,000 feet above the ground, the pilot moved the fuel selector from the left (main) fuel tank to the right (aux) fuel tank. The engine quit, and the pilot reported he did not have time to focus on the engine out, but only time for the forced landing. The airplane struck a detached garage, and came to rest inverted near a residence. The index plate for the fuel selector was found improperly secured, and obscured the tank index position marks. The pilot reported that it was turbulent when he changed tanks and could not verifying the position of the fuel tank selector or feel its detent. The right tank was placarded use in level flight only.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the pilot ensure the proper position of the fuel selector which resulted in fuel starvation. Factors were the improper placement of the fuel selector valve tank index, and the improper in-flight decision of the pilot to change tanks in accordance with the owner's manual.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/3/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1245 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Roanoke |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24019 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 372110N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0795548W |
| Event Location Airport | Roanoke Regional |
| 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 | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 70 |
| Airport Elevation | 1176 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1254 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 250 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ROA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1176 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2106 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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) | 11892 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EASTERN REG OPS CTR |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 3 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1315 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 18 2002 10:15AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Richmond, Virginia |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5207Z |
| NTSB Number | NYC02LA021 |
| 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-22-108 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22-8877 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1650 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 1 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 3 |
| Airframe Hours | 2888 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Raymond O. Woten |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lynchburg |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 24502 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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? | -- |
| 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 | ROA |
| Departure City | Roanoke |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1240 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | W90 |
| Destination City | New London |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb - to cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 20 2002 11:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |