Cessna 172 accident near Roanoke, Virginia, March 23, 1996
On March 23, 1996, a Cessna 172, registered N108RV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roanoke, Virginia (Roanoke Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). Darkness and the pilot's improper emergency procedures were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1996
- Place
- Roanoke, Virginia · Roanoke Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N108RV · no longer on the register · serial 17267233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane's engine lost power at night when he was about ten miles south of Roanoke airport at 11,500 feet MSL. The pilot requested and received clearance for an emergency landing at Roanoke, and ATC vectored the airplane for a straight-in approach. The pilot reported the airport lights in sight from six miles and was cleared to land. The pilot stated that when the airplane was about 1/2 mile from the runway, he realized that he would not be able to reach the runway. He landed in a shopping mall parking lot about 1/2 mile south of the airport. During the landing, the airplane struck a vehicle and a light pole. Postaccident examination did not revealed a preimpact mechanical malfunction. The engine operated normally during a postaccident engine test run. The pilot reported that he performed his emergency descent at 90 KIAS, and did not complete the emergency check list procedures. According to the aircraft manufacturer, the best glide speed was 65 KIAS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 965 hours in all; 81 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 804 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1995; 298 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A-4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HKY Hickory NC at 10:40 pm
- Destination: B17 Bedford County PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 330° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from ROA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.