- Date
- June 22, 1982, 12:10 local (16:10 UTC)
- Place
- Christiansburg, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N704LXCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820622024169A
- Case key
- 70243
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After flying from blacksburg, VA to monroe, NC. The pilot took off on a return flight to blacksburg without refueling. The pilot stated that before takeoff, he took the fuel tank caps off to visually check the fuel. However, he did not use the dip stick that was provided by the operator to determine the fuel remaining. He estimated that well over half of the total usable supply was remaining, enough for the trip plus a reserve. While en route, he deviated left and right of course and climbed and descended to avoid weather. Also, he used a rich mixture for part of the flight. The fuel gauges began indicating low, but he thought they were inaccurate. During a descent near his destination, the engine lost power. While landing on a highway, he s-turned on final approach to stay behind vehicles. The plane touched down at an angle to the highway, straddled a guard rail, and hit a tree. No fuel was found in the aircraft. The pilot thought he could fly 4 hrs without refueling, but only flew 3.3 to 3.5 hrs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N704LX
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078706
- Airframe hours
- 3,383
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Virginia Polytechnic Instutute
- Registered owner
- Raymond D. Roberts
- Departed
- EQY · Monroe, NC
- Destination
- BCB · Blacksburg, VA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 99 total · 81 in this make and model · 61 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 151 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ROA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.