Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roanoke, Virginia 24012
Tuesady, March 30, 2010 13:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About one minute after takeoff, the pilot reported to the air traffic controller that the airplane's control wheels were locked. The controller subsequently cleared the pilot to land on any runway. No further transmissions were received from the pilot and the airplane continued straight ahead. Witnesses observed the airplane in a slow, level descent, until it impacted wires and then the ground. During a postaccident examination of the airplane, flight control continuity was confirmed to all the flight controls. Due to the impact and post-crash fire damage, a cause for the flight control anomaly, as reported by the pilot, could not be determined; however, several unsecured cannon plugs and numerous unsecured heat damaged wire bundles were found lying across the control columns forward of the firewall. Examination of the airplane logbooks revealed the most recent maintenance to the flight controls was performed about four months prior to the accident. The airplane had flown 91 hours since then.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A malfunction of the flight controls for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/2010
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Roanoke
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24012
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371947N
Event Location Longitude 0795914W
Event Location Airport Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1309 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ROA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1175
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.83
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28214
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Communications Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 8 2011 1:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6913Z
NTSB Number ERA10FA195
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA46
Aircraft Series Identifier 310P
Aircraft Serial Number 46-8508073
Certified Max Gross Weight 4340
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 20 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 101
Airframe Hours 956
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name Aviation Development Group Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Charlottesville
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22902
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Peter Sheeran
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Charlottesville
Operator State VA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 22902
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 1305
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CHO
Destination City Charlottesville
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 8 2011 1:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 6800
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --