Piper PA46 accident near Roanoke, Virginia, March 30, 2010
On March 30, 2010 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA46, registered N6913Z, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Roanoke, Virginia (Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A malfunction of the flight controls for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2010 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Roanoke, Virginia · Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 310P · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N6913Z · no longer on the register · serial 46-8508073
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About one minute after takeoff, the pilot reported to the air traffic controller that the airplane's control wheels were locked. The controller subsequently cleared the pilot to land on any runway. No further transmissions were received from the pilot and the airplane continued straight ahead. Witnesses observed the airplane in a slow, level descent, until it impacted wires and then the ground. During a postaccident examination of the airplane, flight control continuity was confirmed to all the flight controls. Due to the impact and post-crash fire damage, a cause for the flight control anomaly, as reported by the pilot, could not be determined; however, several unsecured cannon plugs and numerous unsecured heat damaged wire bundles were found lying across the control columns forward of the firewall. Examination of the airplane logbooks revealed the most recent maintenance to the flight controls was performed about four months prior to the accident. The airplane had flown 91 hours since then.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight control sys malf/fail during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 956 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2009; 101 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,340 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ROA Roanoke VA at 5:05 pm
- Destination: CHO Charlottesville VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 5:09 pm from ROA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6913Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.