Cessna 172E accident near Roanoke, Virginia, April 4, 1996
On April 4, 1996 at about 3:09 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N5730T, was destroyed in an accident near Roanoke, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudged estimation of the airplane's fuel supply for the flight. Related factors are the inadequate preflight inspection, the pilot's expectation that the airplane had been topped off, and the soft terrain encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1996 · about 3:09 pm local time
- Place
- Roanoke, Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N5730T · no longer on the register · serial 17251630
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during his preflight inspection of the airplane he visually inspected the fuel tanks and they appeared to be full. Approximately 10 minutes from the Roanoke Airport, the pilot noted that the fuel quantity gauges indicated about 1/4 tank of fuel. He contacted Roanoke ATC, advised them he was low on fuel, and proceeded inbound to land. Shortly thereafter, the engine began to sputter, then completely lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing, but '...[when the] main wheels hit the soft turf, the nose wheel dug into the ground and we flipped over.' Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of fuel present in the fuel tanks or the area surrounding the accident site. The pilot stated that, although he had requested that the airplane be 'topped off' with fuel before his flight, another pilot had flown for 1.6 hours since the airplane was refueled. He stated that he should have used a more precise method to measure fuel quantity before he departed.
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
- Flight time: 157 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,935 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 15, 1995; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N14 Lumberton NJ at 11:26 am
- Destination: BCB Blacksburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.