BFO87LA066

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-32-260 · Roanoke, VA · September 20, 1987

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report

Date: September 20, 1987, 15:59 local (19:59 UTC)
Place: Roanoke, VA
Injuries: 2 minor
Damage: Substantial damage
Phase of flight: Approach
Aircraft: N3636WPiper PA-32-260
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Day
Status: Completed · report April 24, 1989
Report: Approved by Office Director
Case key: 11340

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalApproach - vfr pattern - final approach

Fluid,fuel - starvationCause

In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandFactor

Fuel tank selector position - improperPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with terrain/waterApproach - vfr pattern - final approach

Analysis

Roanoke tower cleared the aircraft for landing and the pilot pulled the power to idle. The pilot did not realize the engine had quit until he applied power on short final and the engine did not respond. The aircraft struck short of runway 33. The pilot stated that he forgot to switch tanks during flight. The left tank was found empty with the fuel selector on the left tank.

Aircraft

Registration: N3636W
Reported as: Piper PA-32-260
Category: Airplane
Serial number: 32538
Airframe hours: 6,425
Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Operator: George Pitts, doing business as Hilman Aviation
Registered owner: Aa Air Charter Inc
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
Last inspection: 100 hour · September 12, 1987 · 19 hours before
Departed: W91 · Moneta, VA
Airport: ROA · Roanoke Regional Woodrum, runway 33, 5,800 × 150 ft, asphalt

N3636WRegistration cancelled Mar 7, 2013 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-538 · Built 1966 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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: 27
Certificate: Commercial
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Instrument ratings: Airplane
Medical: Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Right
Flight hours: 374 total · 47 in this make and model · 281 as pilot in command · 99 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind: 270° at 6 knots
Visibility: 30 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: None
Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Observed at: ROA, 1 nm away