NTSB BFO91LA032 — 1991-03-17 · ROANOKE, Virginia, United States

Current FAA registration · N4870T

Make / Model: PIPER PA-32-260
Year of manufacture: 1972 · 19 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19720317
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A60504

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N4870T Piper PA32-260 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE ON A NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH.

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON AN NIGHT IFR FLIGHT FROM WASHINGTON'S DULLES AIRPORT TO ROANOKE, VIRGINIA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 5000 FEET ON A RIGHT BASE LEG, HE WAS CLEARED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24. HE ADVISED THE TOWER THAT HE HAD ALL TERRAIN IN SIGHT AND STATED THAT THE THE ATIS HAD INDICATED A 25,000 FOOT OVERCAST WITH 15 MILES VISIBILITY. AT 6.2 NAUTICAL MILES (LORAN C) FROM THE RUNWAY, HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND STRUCK THE TOP OF A TREE ON A MOUNTAIN RIDGE. HE MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 24. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_BFO91LA032.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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