Piper PA-24-250 accident near Blacksburg, Virginia, July 27, 2012
On July 27, 2012 at about 7:09 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6248P, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Blacksburg, Virginia (Montgomery Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2012 · about 7:09 pm local time
- Place
- Blacksburg, Virginia · Montgomery Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6248P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was approaching the destination airport, and, according to the pilot, the left fuel selector was set to the left main tank and the right fuel selector was set to the right main tank. The engine began to lose power, and the pilot subsequently applied carburetor heat and placed the right fuel selector to the right tip tank position. However, the engine did not regain power. The pilot made a forced landing in the airport parking lot, and the airplane collided with a perimeter fence, resulting in structural wing damage. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that neither of the main fuel tanks contained usable fuel. The right tip tank contained about 7.5 gallons of fuel; however, the fuel selector was placarded with a note stating that the tip tanks were for use in level flight only. With the left main tank selected and no fuel in that tank, air would have been introduced into the fuel system, resulting in fuel starvation. The pilot’s preflight planning indicated an en route time of 2 hours 32 minutes. However, when the loss of power occurred, the flight had been airborne for about 3 hours 39 minutes. The pilot reported that he was not sure if the airplane’s fuel gauges were accurate, so he relied on fuel burn rate calculations during the flight.
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
- Fuel starvation during approach defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,973 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 30, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,368 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CEW Crestview FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: BCB Blacksburg VA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from BCB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.