# Accident 20011103031939A: Piper PA22108, Roanoke, VA, November 3, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 3, 2001, 12:47 local time
- Place: Roanoke, VA
- Airport: Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3528° N, 79.9300° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3528&lon=-79.9300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5207Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5207Z-2003-11-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-108 (registry code 7102204, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-108) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22108
- Reported engine: LYC O235C1B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 268 total, 201 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC02LA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA021) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011103031939A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC02LA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA021), Nov 3, 2001: Piper PA-22-108 (N5207Z), Roanoke, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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