What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N5207Z, a Piper pa 22 series aircraft departed Roanoke, VA. (Roa) on 11/03/01 at 12:40 local, VFR, enroute to new london airport, VA. (W90). On climb out at roa, at approximately 1900 ft. the aux fuel tank (right) was selected. The pilot stated the climb rate varied between 1000 ft. per min. And 200 ft. per min. Due to wind variations, and his intended altitude was 3500 ft. approximately 2 miles from roa airport, at an altitude of between 1900 and 1950 ft., the engine lost power. The pilot stated that there was no roughness or abnormal indication prior to a suspected complete loss of power. The aircraft that morning had previously departed W90 on a local flight with one passenger, teresa ward, the pilot's daughter, and was returning back to W90, a 10 to 15 min. Flight. The aircraft departed W90 with full fuel (36 gal.) And had been operated on the main tank (left position) prior to the climb out accident at roa. The aircraft made an off airport landing about 4 miles east of Roanoke international airport in a residential area. The pilot or passenger reported no injuries, however the aircraft was substantially damaged when it flipped on its back and struck a group of trees. (.4) 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.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N5207Z, A PIPER PA 22 SERIES AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ROANOKE, VA. (ROA) ON 11/03/01 AT 12:40 LOCAL, VFR, ENROUTE TO NEW LONDON AIRPORT, VA. (W90). ON CLIMB OUT AT ROA, AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 FT. THE AUX FUEL TANK (RIGHT) WAS SELECTED. THE PILOT STATED THE CLIMB RATE VARIED BETWEEN 1000 FT. PER MIN. AND 200 FT. PER MIN. DUE TO WIND VARIATIONS, AND HIS INTENDED ALTITUDE WAS 3500 FT. APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM ROA AIRPORT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 1900 AND 1950 FT., THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ROUGHNESS OR ABNORMAL INDICATION PRIOR TO A SUSPECTED COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT THAT MORNING HAD PREVIOUSLY DEPARTED W90 ON A LOCAL FLIGHT WITH ONE PASSENGER, TERESA WARD, THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER, AND WAS RETURNING BACK TO W90, A 10 TO 15 MIN. FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED W90 WITH FULL FUEL (36 GAL.) AND HAD BEEN OPERATED ON THE MAIN TANK (LEFT POSITION) PRIOR TO THE CLIMB OUT ACCIDENT AT ROA. THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF ROANOKE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE PILOT OR PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT FLIPPED ON ITS BACK AND STRUCK A GROUP OF TREES. (.4) 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 investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.