Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD N3041J

Summary

On 10 December 1997 at about 18:24 local time, a Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD registered N3041J was involved in an accident near Roanoke, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 December 1997 at 18:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Roanoke, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Roanoke Regional (ROA)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD

Registration

N3041J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Jackson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD98FA015

1 person died.

Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A related factor was the low ceiling.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported that the engine was losing power and that he was returning to the airport. The controller advised the pilot that he was 1 3/4 miles south of the airport, and he should make a left turn and return for a landing on runway 33. There were no further radio transmissions from the pilot. The airplane struck power lines about 25 feet high, struck a house, and then came to rest on the porch of another house. The second house and airplane were destroyed as a result of the collision and a post-impact fire. A witness, about 1 1/4 miles from runway 33, said he heard an airplane taking off. He said, '... the engine noise was both loud and different, I looked toward the airport, but the plane was already into the overcast-600 foot ceiling. The engine noise was unique, it had a loud beat, like one cylinder was firing directly out the exhaust...when the plane had passed me, from my right to left about the 10 o'clock position the engine skipped one beat, made a louder bang and went silent... .' Examination of the engine did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction that would have precluded operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.