Travel Air D4D accident near Roanoke, Virginia, June 30, 1988
On June 30, 1988 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Travel Air D4D, registered N434N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roanoke, Virginia (Roanoke Regional airport). It was a ferry 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
- June 30, 1988 · about 5:15 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
- Travel Air D4D
- Registration
- N434N · no longer on the register · serial 1340
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE TAIL WHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY. HE STATED THAT SINCE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO LIFT THE TAIL OF THE ACFT, HE APPLIED BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW THE ACFT. AT THIS TIME THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. HE APPLIED LEFT BRAKE TO STRAIGHTEN THE ACFT BUT THE BRAKE WAS INEFFECTIVE. TO PREVENT THE ACFT FROM TRAVELING OFF THE RUNWAY AND ONTO THE TAXIWAY WHERE WORKMEN AND EQUIPMENT WERE PRESENT, THE PLT GROUNDLOOPED THE ACFT. THE PLT REPORTEDLY SERVICED THE BRAKES JUST PRIOR TO THIS FLT. THE ACFT WAS MOVED AFTER THE ACCIDENT BEFORE IT COULD BE INSPECTED.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 27,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 22,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGY Dayton OH at 3:00 pm
- Destination: ROA Roanoke VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:32 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.