Beech C-23 accident near Roanoke, Virginia, February 15, 1988
On February 15, 1988 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech C-23, registered N6634R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roanoke, Virginia (Roanoke Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1988 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Roanoke, Virginia · Roanoke Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-23 · all C-23s on the register
- Registration
- N6634R · no longer on the register · serial M2203
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE STU PLT FIFTH TRAINING SESSION WHERE HE DID SOLO TOUCH & GO LANDINGS. DURING THIS SESSION HE MADE TEN LANDINGS WITHOUT INCIDENT. SIX LANDINGS WERE MADE WITH HIS INSTR ABOARD FOLLOWED BY FOUR SOLO LANDINGS. ACCORDING TO THE STU DURING THE FLARE FOR THE ELEVENTH LANDING THE ACFT STARTED TO PORPOISE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE ACFT LANDED ON THE NOSE GEAR WHICH COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT SLID OFF THE RUNWAY AND AN ENGINE FIRE ERUPTED. THE CARBURETOR WAS FRACTURED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE PLT SAFELY EXITED THE ACFT AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINQUISHED SHORTLY AFTERWARD BY AIRPORT FIRE DEPT PERSONNEL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,395 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 20, 1988; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Piedmont Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: ROA Roanoke VA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: ROA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from ROA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.